Love, Yuugi
by m00shrum
Summary: [DISCONTINUED]
1. Chapter 01

Errr… I know this is a repost, but someone was mean enough to hack into my account and delete everything. Sorry for all you wonderful reviewers. Unfortunately, your reviews were deleted, too. Don't worry, I still love you guys. I hope you'll still continue reading my fic, though. Don't feel obliged to review for my reposts or re-add this to your favs if it was ever on your fav list. I'll be posting a new chapter of this every one or two days. Chapter six (the new chapter) will be up soon. Happy holidays! =]

- - -

CHAPTER ONE

__

(18:24)

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Specimen No. 3 - Browned-haired girl

- between 16 and 18 years of age

- around 5'4"

- wearing a yellow button-down tank top with blue skirt

- typical afternoon schoolgirl

****

The Question: Why is she here so late?

****

Observations: Constantly checks wristwatch, occasionally flips hair and adjusts shirt, eyes the ice cream cart, flattens skirt frequently… etc.

****

Hypothesis: Waiting for boyfriend.

Yami nearly dropped his notebook as he looked up. The person who she was waiting for turned out to be a little boy, but that wasn't what bothered him the most. The boy was a shorter version of himself. Tilting his head to the side, he tried to give himself a better view of the boy's face, but could only see the ridiculous hair they both shared. It was a strange experience for Yami, looking at the back of what seems to be his own head.

"Sorry, I'm late," the boy was saying. His voice didn't sound quite so young. "But honestly, I didn't forget. Jounouchi and Honda wanted to copy that homework assignment from yesterday, and I couldn't just—"

The girl cut him off with a kiss on the lips, bending over and reaching flirtatiously under his shirt, high enough for Yami to catch a glimpse of the milky skin underneath.

Almost automatically, Yami flipped to a fresh page in the notebook and began to write:

__

(18:35)

****

Specimen No. 4 - Other Me

- 14 to 18 years

- around 5'

- wearing highschool uniform and backpack

****

The Question: …what the hell?

****

Observations: Pale complexion, has my hair, squirming uncomfortably while getting fondled, kissing back somewhat reluctantly…

He watched as they broke apart, the girl glancing at the ice cream cart again. She made it so painfully obvious what she wanted. _Poor boy. Doesn't he know that he's being used? Doesn't he care?_

"So, Yuugi, where's the ice cream you promised?" the girl teased.

__

Yuugi… so that's your name.

"Name your pick," piped the cheerful voice. "That's what I'm here for, right?"

__

Tell me that was sarcastic, Yuugi. I pity you and your desperation.

The girl nodded. "I want a double vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles."

Yami raised an eyebrow and continued to scribble in his notebook: _Girl orders double vanilla cone._ So they were sharing the ice cream. That sounded like a decent date. Maybe the boy wasn't as hopeless as he seemed.

"Coming right up," his replica said. Then, the boy turned around and made his way to the ice cream cart.

And Yami's heart nearly stopped.

Standing about five yards away was the loveliest boy he had ever seen, with the most selfless compassionate eyes in the world, ordering a double vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles for his girlfriend. _Dear gods. My eyes must be playing tricks on me. That, or I'm going insane._ The perfect pink lips were forming words that were now incomprehensible to him as he stared at the angelic face.

"Keep the change," the boy said as he cautiously received the ice cream. The ice cream man said nothing in response as Yuugi happily bounced over to the girl with the newly-bought ice cream cone.

Suddenly, Yami could feel the jealousy coursing through his body as he watched the girl snatch the cone from Yuugi's delicate hand, licking both swirls in the most disgustingly suggestive ways. Yuugi pretended not to notice, turning his face toward the trees in the distance.

For a long while, Yami waited for the girl to offer some ice cream to what seemed to be her boyfriend, until the cone had disappeared entirely and she was licking the cream off her fingers.

"Did you like it?" Yuugi asked. Surprisingly, he was still wearing the same genuine smile.

The girl nodded. "Mmhmm."

He looked at his wristwatch. "Well, I have to leave now. My grandfather's waiting. I'm glad you enjoyed the ice cream."

"Yeah, I have to go, too," she said. "Thanks." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before running off.

Yami's eyes widened as the boy's smile suddenly disappeared, replaced with an expression that was far too complex to describe. Who was this beautiful boy? And why did he pretend to be happy when he wasn't?

__

I'll soon find out.

- - -

Yuugi glanced at his watch for the third time as he quickened his pace. His grandpa would kill him for being anywhere but the game shop at a time like this. It was nearly dark, and a light drizzle showered from above. A flash of lightning briefly split the sky in two.

Someone was following him.

__

Help me… He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, his backpack bobbing against his back. _Ten more blocks to go. I can make it._

A large man appeared in front of him. "Hey! Kid!"

Yuugi tried to ignore him, but was grabbed by the collar and yanked backwards. "Please, sir," he begged, looking up to find his vision blurred by the rain. "I have to get back home. Please let go of me."

"You're a pretty one," the man whispered. "Don't see many pretty boys around."

"No, please…"

The man chuckled nastily, securing both Yuugi's hands in one grip. "You'll be begging for more once I'm done with you."

Yuugi hung his head in defeat, allowing the man to drag him off to a dark corner and strip him of his clothes. He could feel the rough hands roaming his body, touching the most inappropriate places. It was so cold, so terribly cold, and so dark…

Suddenly, the touch vanished, and he could move freely again. Wiping the rain from his eyes, he found himself standing naked against the wall of an old empty building. Lying on the ground next to him were shreds of his clothes and the man who had tried to rape him, the hilt of a pocketknife jutting out from the back of his head. He shivered and hugged himself tightly, savoring the feeling of his own fingers against his wet skin.

"Are you all right?" a smooth baritone voice whispered from the shadows.

Yuugi could only continue staring at the dead man in front of him. "You killed him," he murmured over and over again. "Why? He didn't deserve to die. He was just as human as anyone else."

"He would've raped you."

"Then he should've. Getting raped isn't nearly as bad as dying like this. The poor man probably has no friends or family. What's wrong with giving yourself a little pleasure sometimes?" He swallowed and blinked away the rainwater, letting out a shaky sigh. "I'm sorry. Thank you for helping me."

For a moment, it was silent, and Yuugi thought he could see a pair of hard crimson eyes gazing at him through the fog. Then, something heavy fell into his arms.

"Take my jacket," the voice said. "As much as you disgust me, I pity you. Have a good night."

Whoever it was that saved him, he was gone as quickly as he came. Yuugi stared at the leather jacket in his arms before draping it around his shoulders, rubbing the soft dry cotton lining against his bare skin. It was just long enough to cover his upper thighs and he could still feel the warmth of its previous owner.

He kneeled in front of the dead man and whispered a prayer before disappearing into the fog.

- - -

****

Note: I felt like doing something different, like writing an alternate universe and using a different voice (I normally write canons in the first person). The whole style is different, too. Less metaphors, more of what's happening. I hope you like this new style of mine. And yes, the girl in the beginning is Anzu. Sorry, Anzu fans. I didn't exactly make her into the greatest person, but just know I have nothing against her.

Yuugi: *sings* Yami thinks I'm beautiful!

Lanlan: He also thinks you're disgusting.

Yuugi: *lovely eyes well up with tears*

Yami: Don't cry. I think you're gorgeous. *pets Yuugi*

Please review! I'd like to know what people think of this story in particular and if I should continue. Also, constructive criticism is good. =]


	2. Chapter 02

Awww… Thanks, you guys. You're so nice to me. I'm glad you're still willing to read. I'm posting faster so I can get chapter six up as soon as possible. I've already finished writing it! Yay! =]

- - -

CHAPTER TWO

"Yuugi! Where on earth have you…"

Grandpa Mutou appeared lost his voice as his only grandson tripped into the room. Yuugi's hair hung limply on either side of his head and he appeared to have lost his backpack and all of his clothes. Refusing to meet his grandfather's eye, he quickly made his way to the stairs, his soggy shoes leaving a trail of murky water across the shop floor.

"Stop right there, young man!"

Yuugi froze obediently at the bottom step.

"Oh, god," his grandpa gasped, rushing over to him, but careful to keep his distance. "What happened to you, Yuugi? Did you get raped? Tell me you didn't get raped. Tell me you didn't…" He lowered his faced into his hands, shaking uncontrollably.

"It's okay, Grandpa," Yuugi comforted, awkwardly patting the old man on the back. "I didn't. Someone stopped him."

"Thank goodness!" Grandpa cried, pulling out his handkerchief and blowing his nose loudly into it. "Go get dressed and come back down. You are in a lot of trouble tonight."

Yuugi lowered his eyes guiltily. "Yes, sir. I'm sorry." He trudged up the stairs and into his room, collapsing on the dry carpet. The image of the dead man lingered in his mind. Those lifeless eyes, the seeping blood, the knife. He curled into a tiny ball, pulling the warm jacket tightly around himself. It all seemed so unreal, like a movie or a dream.

And who was that mysterious man?

"Yuugi? Are you okay up there?" his grandfather called.

"I'm fine," he replied. "Just give me a minute."

He rose from the carpet and made his way to his closet, pulling on his old T-shirt and boxers. The leather jacket didn't seem as if it should be lying on his bedroom floor, so he picked up it and straightened it out, inhaling the thrilling scent of the his savior's cologne before folding it neatly and placing it on top of his pillow.

His grandfather was waiting patiently downstairs at the dining table, his newspaper lying several feet away.

"Good evening," Yuugi greeted, before sitting himself down across from the old man. Normally, they would be eating dinner and having a pleasant conversation about the day's events, but there was no dinner on the table today.

"Yuugi, I am very disappointed in you. Since you began going to school by yourself, I have made it clear that you _must be home by five_," Grandpa said, banging his fist on the table after each syllable. "As safe as this neighborhood seems to be, there are always rapists and muggers in the most unexpected places. Do you understand now?"

"Yes, sir."

Grandpa sighed. "Good. I can't risk losing my favorite grandson, can I?" It seemed to Yuugi as if he were muttering to himself, so he chose the ignore the question. "Who saved you, anyway?" Grandpa asked, changing the topic.

A slight blush appeared on Yuugi's cheeks. He could still hear the low voice in his head, a sound that sent delightful shivers down his spine. "Um… I didn't see him or ask for his name."

"What? Well, how did he stop the rapist?"

"He knocked the guy out," Yuugi lied. "The fog was too thick for me to see his face."

"Did that jacket you were wearing belong to him?"

If possible, Yuugi's face flushed even redder. "Yes," he whispered.

Grandpa nodded. "Sounds like a pretty nice person. There wasn't a name tag or anything on the jacket? Oh, well. Too bad. We could've at least thanked him for saving you from trouble…"

- - -

Yami quickly closed the apartment door behind him, his notebook still tucked away safely under his shirt. Trembling from the cold, he reached under the leather with stiff fingers, peeling off the garment and taking out the notebook in the process, casually tossing them onto the worn couch. Several tattered suitcases were thrown randomly around the living room floor.

"Bastet, I'm home!" he called to what seemed to be no one.

A cat appeared at the door of the nearest room, meowing softly, swishing her slender tail proudly in the air as she came toward her master. She circled his legs several times before curling up on the floor beside him, rubbing her face affectionately against his damp leather pants. He reached down and gently stroked her thick black coat, watching the green eye twitch as the blue one lazily drooped.

Then, he gently lifted her from the floor before she could fall asleep and carried her over to the couch, making himself comfortable with the purring cat on his lap. The violent thunder shook the rickety building and the dim lights flashed for a moment before coming back on.

"Do you like it here?" he murmured to Bastet, running his long fingers through the cat's fur.

She looked up at him and blinked slowly, dragging her long tongue across his hand, her eyes shining like two glass marbles.

Yami sighed and closed his eyes. "I met someone today," he began. Bastet's ears quivered slightly as if she were listening intently. "I guess I didn't really _meet_ him, but at least I spoke to him." Yami paused, recalling what he saw at the park. "He was with a girl in the park, and he supposedly promised her ice cream earlier today. He looked so sincere, so kindhearted, so… beautiful."

The last word came out as a whisper, and for a second, he could've sworn his cat gave him a teasing glance through her paws.

He shrugged, pretending to be hurt. "Well, maybe I _am_ a little attracted to him…"

This time, he was absolutely positive Bastet was grinning.

"So I watched him. He bought the ice cream as he said he would and the girl ate the whole damn thing. She didn't offer him one bite. And he didn't even complain. He just stood there, looking as content and pitiful as ever."

Bastet yawned and closed her eyes, but Yami knew she was still listening.

"Then, after his girlfriend left, I followed him…"

- - -

Almost as if it were a made of gold, Yuugi lifted the jacket off his pillow and held it out in front of him, checking for any signs of who the previous owner was. There was no name tag in sight. Reaching into the coat pocket, he drew out a black ball-point pen. It was one of those cheap ones from the drugstores sold in packs on twelve. He found nothing else in the pouch but a candy wrapper from a foreign country.

Carefully, he placed these two near-sacred objects on his bedside table, next to his alarm clock.

His heart sagged with guilt for being attracted to a man, a merciful killer whom he never met. Perhaps "attracted" was not the right word. It was more like "curious" or somewhat "interested."

Yuugi slipped out of his bathrobe and crawled onto his bed, not bothering to dress at all. Almost unconsciously, he wrapped his legs around the jacket, drawing it closer, burying his face into the cotton inside. The light cologne made its way into his nose, overcoming him with welcomed drowsiness and unexplained desire.

He could still see the pair of crimson eyes in his mind flashing darkly, dangerously. Perhaps he was still out in the night, dressed completely in black leather, another pocketknife ready to attack in his hand. Yuugi shuddered at the thought. In horror? Or in pleasure?

A warm tear slid down his cheek. In the back of his mind, he knew everything was his imagination, but there was something appealing about it, something intriguing. Even _he_ couldn't resist the sick twisted nature of humanity.

With a mix of fear and self-disgust, he released the jacket and shoved it to the far end of his bed.

- - -

As he sat cross-legged on his bed, Yami could still picture the boy against the chipped brick wall, naked and shivering. At the moment, the sight had been almost repulsive. But now, he regretted his cold words. It wasn't Yuugi's fault for being unable to defend himself, and perhaps there were reasonable explanations for his strange and somewhat sad behavior.

Yami frowned as he found himself picturing where Yuugi was now, what he was doing. Perhaps in bed, sobbing silently into his teddy bear's soft fur, his room dark and unwelcoming. Or perhaps taking his fifth shower, refusing to leave the bathroom, calling to his parents in feigned casualty how he was fine and they didn't need to worry the slightest bit.

Drawing the covers over his lap, Yami closed his eyes, allowing the pleasant darkness to envelope him. He would need to rest if he wanted even a chance of waking up early enough for school tomorrow.

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Yuugi, I promise you we'll meet again.

- - -

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Note: I forgot to mention this in the last chapter, but Yuugi and Yami were meant to be exaggerations of their actual characters. I really have no idea where I'm going with this story, but I'll figure it out soon enough. I have never hinted so much lust in one chapter before. Yuugi must be feeling horny today. Throughout the entire chapter, I was so tempted to use the word _sexy_ (sexy scent of cologne, sexy voice, etc.), but it would have ruined the mood, so I didn't. Dictionary says: Sexy - sexually suggestive or stimulating: erotic. Is that the perfect word or what?

Yuugi: Yami, I think you're sexy.

Yami: Yuugi, I _know_ I'm sexy.

Yuugi: *drools cutely*

Please review. If you liked or didn't like something in particular, please tell me why. I'm all open to criticism. =]


	3. Chapter 03

CHAPTER THREE

Yami woke up the next morning to the sound of claws scraping against wood. It turned out his cat had found her breakfast under one of the loose tiles. Glancing sideways at his clock, he realized it was only five in the morning, but he couldn't fall back asleep, so he quickly dressed and stepped outside for a breath of fresh air.

It was nearly freezing outside, and he suddenly remembered he gave his jacket away last night. Apparently, the sweater he was wearing wasn't enough to keep him warm. Cursing under his breath, he rubbed his hands together. He would need to buy a new jacket sometime soon, but money was an issue. There were still three hours left until school started. Perhaps he had enough time to find a decent job.

Most of the stores were open as Yami strolled down the sidewalk, looking around for any "help wanted" signs. Several old ladies were sweeping outside their shops. Young workers and businessmen rushed past him, occasionally brushing him aside as if he weren't there.

An oddly shaped building caught his eye. Above the glass door was a sign that read "Kame Game Shop." Feeling a little curious, he pulled the door open and walked in. The bells on the handle jingled as the door closed on its own. A short old man sat on a high stool in the corner, humming to himself, rearranging the boxes on the shelf. His grey hair stuck out on all sides from under his bandanna.

"How may I help you?" the old man asked without turning around.

Yami stuck his hands in his pocket and looked around the store. It was a cozy little place. There were display cases that held packs of cards, shelves full of video games, and board games from all around the world.

"I was wondering if I could work here," Yami said, immediately regretting his words as they left his mouth. There had been no sign on the door, and the old man was probably expecting him to buy something.

The old man dusted off his last box and placed it on the shelf before turning around. And he nearly fell off his stool.

"Yuugi?" he cried. "W-What happened to you? And what in the world are you wearing?"

Yami raised his eyebrows casually as he looked down at the leather pants he was wearing. "Sorry," he said, pretending to be embarrassed. "I think you're mistaking me for someone else."

__

Yuugi? This man knows Yuugi?

The old man laughed sheepishly. "Oh, no. Don't be sorry. _I_ should be sorry," he said. "It's just that you look awfully like my grandson."

__

Note to self: Yuugi lives with his grandfather.

"A job, you say?" the old man asked. "Well, perhaps. I _am_ getting old…"

"Grandpa?" a soft voice muttered. Yuugi appeared at the bottom of the stairs to the second floor, rubbing his eyes sleepily, dressed in pajamas. "What happened? Did you call me?" His eyes widened as they landed on the boy near the shop entrance. _I must be seeing things._ He shook his head and rubbed his eyes again.

"No, Yuugi," his grandpa answered kindly. "Go back to sleep. You still have a while before school starts."

Yuugi nodded before dragging his bare feet back up the stairs, too asleep to think about what he just saw.

Yami stared for a moment before snapping back into reality. Had Yuugi just left without giving him a second look? Automatically, he glanced down at his own hands. They were quite visible. He sighed to himself, secretly disappointed.

"Which hours do you plan on working?" Yuugi's grandfather asked him, lowering himself from the stool and making his way to the counter. "How much should I pay you every hour? I've never had any employees before, except for my grandson, so I'm not really sure how the whole system works."

Yami shrugged. "Anytime in the afternoon is fine. Maybe from four to seven. My salary is up to you." He didn't care for the money or the games anymore. Now, he had a whole new reason to work in this place. "I could start working today if you don't mind. I'll clean the shelves and help the customers—anything you ask."

The old man examined him closely. "What's your name?" he asked. "I've never seen you around before."

"Yami," Yami replied. "I moved here two days ago."

"Well, all right, Yami," the old man said. "You can start working this afternoon. Come early if you can. I need to show you around the shop."

Yami could hardly contain his smile. "What should I call you, sir?"

"'Grandpa' is fine. All the kids here call me that."

- - -

"Yuugi-kun!" his blond friend called from behind. Yuugi stopped and waited for him to catch up. "Thanks a million for the homework yesterday. I owe you one."

Yuugi giggled playfully as his friend tackled him and ruffled his hair. "Jounouchi!"

"So? Anything new?" Jounouchi whispered as they quickened their pace toward the school gate. "Anything happen between you and Anzu yesterday? I swear, that girl is just using you."

"I know," Yuugi admitted, thanking God, not for the first time, for giving him a true friend. "But she's okay. I mean, she stands up for me a lot, and I really appreciate it."

"You don't think she's just pretending?"

Yuugi tightened his grip on the straps of his backpack. "Well, she's only pretending if you think she is."

They walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence until they reached their first class. A swarm of chattering girls were already inside, crowding around what seemed to be one desk in the back of the classroom.

"Gee, what's all the commotion for?" Jounouchi asked the nearest girl.

"It's the new boy," she whispered excitedly, flipping her hair back. "He's _so_ hot. And guess what?" She paused for less than half a second before answering her own question. "He's from _Egypt_!" She squealed and vanished into the mob.

Yuugi and Jounouchi gave each other amused glances. "I bet she hasn't even seen him yet," Jounouchi muttered quietly as they eyed the growing crowd of students. "How can anyone see through _that_? There's no way, unless…" He straightened his uniform and cleared his throat, shoving through the girls. "Jounouchi Katsuya coming through. Make way. Make way."

Yuugi laughed softly to himself as his friend disappeared into the crowd like everyone else.

"What's so funny, Yuugi?" someone asked from behind. It was Honda, another one of his closer friends. "And what's going on here?"

"Supposedly, there's a new boy in school, and Jounouchi somehow managed his way into there." Yuugi nodded his head toward the mass of people. "I have no idea how he'll manage to get out."

Honda feigned a sigh. "I knew it. He's hopeless."

Suddenly, Jounouchi reappeared, panting and wiping the sweat off his brow. "Yuugi… there's a boy… who looks just like you," he gasped. "I swear, he has the same exact hair as you do. I couldn't see his face, though. Too many girls in the way."

"You," Honda said, "are the worst liar in the world."

"I'm not lying!"

The sound of a metal wooden ruler hitting the desk interrupted their conversation. The students obediently left the classroom or returned the their seats, revealing the unfazed center of attention. Yuugi's breath caught in his throat as his eyes landed on the new student.

Jounouchi had not been lying.

It was the same boy he thought was his imagination this morning, the one in the game shop. Yuugi didn't doubt he was Egyptian at all. The bronze skin certainly said _something_ about the boy. He allowed his eyes to travel down the slender body: a hooded maroon sweater and tight black leather pants. Then, he looked up to find a pair of piercing red eyes gazing into his own.

Yuugi swallowed before turning around in his desk.

__

Could it be?

The teacher rapped the ruler against her desk again. "Good morning."

The class stood and murmured, "Good morning, sensei," before sitting back down.

Apparently, the new boy had not done the same, because the teacher gave him a half glance, half glare. "In Japan, when a teacher says 'good morning' to the class, the _entire_ class must stand and do the same." Everyone turned around to looked at him, almost expecting to hear some sort of brazen remark, but he only nodded in understanding.

There was a pause before the teacher resumed the class. "As you've all noticed, we have a new student today." She motioned for the boy to come to the front of the classroom. Everyone stared in silence as he walked, or flowed, through the neatly arranged desks.

Yuugi couldn't help but admire the fluidity of his movement, how one leg would slide gracefully in front of the other, how the leather would twist, hugging the slim thighs even tighter.

"You're drooling," Jounouchi whispered teasingly from the seat next to his.

Feeling the blood rise to his cheeks, Yuugi lifted his sleeve to wipe away the saliva.

"Please welcome Ohama Yami," the teacher introduced after what seemed like hours. "He moved here from Egypt several days ago. It's nice to see some cultural diversity in this school."

"Cultural diversity, my ass," Jounouchi muttered. "He's got a Japanese last name. Now, all he needs is a uniform."

And for the first time ever, Yuugi didn't hear what Jounouchi said.

- - -

****

Note: Wow, does this chapter suck major @$$ or what? I hate myself for writing this; it sounds like the average Yami/Yuugi AU. Dammit, I tried so hard to make it sound _somewhat _different and even realistic (with Honda and Jounouchi's smart remarks), but I guess that didn't work. Just to not confuse you, Yuugi is only different around Jounouchi and Honda. Otherwise, he's a shy little kid who does whatever he's asked of. And Yami… he's not supposed to be nosy, just something else. Ah, you'll see, once the story actually becomes a story.

Lanlan: Yami? Yuugi? Where are my muses!?

(suspicious activity coming from nearby room)

Yuugi: …aaah… Yami… *moans*

Yami: *growls deeply*

Yuugi: …ah! Yami! **YAMI!!!** Aaaaah…! *pants*

Lanlan: Nooooooooo! *bangs on door* You guys are ahead by like… twenty chapters! Stop!

(not-so-suspicious activity continues)

Review? Pretty please? =]


	4. Chapter 04

Aaaaah! I'm so glad you guys still remember my fic! And thank you, new readers, for your kind reviews, as well. I'm posting two chapters a day so I can get chapter six up by tomorrow. Happy reading! =]

- - -

CHAPTER FOUR

At the moment their eyes had met, Yami knew Yuugi suspected him for something. Did he know they've exchanged words before? Or was it a mere recognition of this morning? Either way, Yami felt a jolt of anxiety, or perhaps some strange sort of relief.

He soon found himself examining Yuugi's every little motion, how he would only raise his hand to his ear with his fingers in a relaxed position while some other students stretched their arms as high as possible and nearly rose from their seats to answer a question, how he would politely lower his arm while other students spoke, and how his slender fingers would tap patiently and quietly on his desk every time the teacher went off on a boring subject. He even noticed how Yuugi would slightly tilt his head to one side and pretend to be loosening his neck whenever the blond friend sitting next to him whispered some crude remark.

"Ohama! In Japan, we _look_ at whoever is talking in class, not who we want to look at. I'm sure it's the same in Egypt."

Yami sighed and reluctantly tore his eyes from the beauty sitting several seats ahead of him. "I'm sorry," he said, bowing his head politely. "I will try not to be distracted again."

Yuugi nearly melted in his seat. _That voice… I know that voice._ He shivered. Was he glad his savior was his new classmate? Or was he frightened? He closed his eyes for a while, allowing the truth to sink in.

He was in love.

No, he couldn't be. Perhaps it was only a temporary attraction that would all be over by the next day. His heart was pounding so fast he could almost feel it vibrating in his head. Suddenly, he wanted to throw up. _…you all right… he would've raped you… would've raped you… take my jacket… you disgust me… disgust me… I pity you… have a good night… good night…_

Desperately, he tried to open his eyes, but his head was spinning too fast. He was going to pass out if this didn't stop…

"Yuugi!"

His eyes snapped open and he found the entire class staring at him. Jounouchi had a firm grasp on his shoulder and was still shaking him awake. The teacher was kneeling beside his desk, examining him closely. His breaths came out in short rasps, but at least he could now feel the blood rushing back to his head.

"Jounouchi," the teacher commanded, "you know the routine. Take him to the nurse."

Yuugi tried to shake his head, but it made him even dizzier. "No, it's okay," he croaked. "I'm fine now." The last thing he wanted was to be sent to the nurse's office again. Seeing the younger students with fevers and broken bones depressed him.

From the corner of his eye, he could see the same pair of crimson eyes that made him feel all warm and jittery inside gazing at him with genuine concern. Why he cared, Yuugi had no idea. All he knew was he couldn't allow this new boy to care, to get any closer, as much as he secretly craved his voice and touch.

- - -

"Were you okay today?" Jounouchi asked hesitantly. "In class, I mean. I know it's happened before, but it was never this bad. You never really passed out before. Did you sleep well last night?"

Yuugi lowered his eyes. "I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind right now." He took a deep breath, not wishing to say his next words. "Maybe… it would help to be alone for a little while," he finally muttered.

For a moment, Yuugi couldn't tell if Jounouchi looked hurt or not, but he only shrugged. "Okay, then. I'll go find Honda. Go to the nurse if you really need to." He began to walk down the hall backwards, giving Yuugi a sincere and encouraging grin. "I hope you feel better!"

"Thanks," Yuugi replied, managing a weak smile as he watched his friend disappear down the hall. He wasn't hungry, but he took his lunch out of his locker anyway.

"Hey, Mutou."

Yuugi immediately recognized the voice as one of the nasty seniors. He turned around and smiled politely. "Hello."

The senior who spoke wasn't so tough and bulky looking, but the lackeys behind him were certainly something. The massive muscles and facial hair were probably meant to intimidate, and they were doing a good job of it.

"One of my friends told me you gave him lunch money yesterday," the leader sneered. "You have any for me?"

Unfortunately, Yuugi didn't.

"Sorry," he replied, trying to remain as calm as possible. There was no one else around. He would have to save himself. "I don't have money today." He pretended to brighten. "But I _do_ have lunch. It's sushi with soy sauce and all. Do you want it?"

"Thanks, squirt." The senior reached forward and snatched the paper bag from his hands. "Now, boys, show him what happens when he has no money to offer _me_, but he has money for my friend."

Without warning, one of the bullies grabbed Yuugi by the collar and slammed him into the open locker.

It felt as if his head was splitting apart. Something sharp dug into his arm and he realized it was the locker door. He could now hear cries of pain echoing in his head. Whether or not it was his own, he didn't know.

He closed his eyes and surrendered.

- - -

Lunch was halfway over when Yuugi woke up again. He looked around and found the hallway empty, but he could somehow feel the presence of someone else. As he tried to stand, he realized his lunch was back in his hand. The gash on his arm was bleeding freely, but it looked as if someone had wiped away most of the blood.

Curiously, he opened the paper bag and found his lunch exactly the way it had been when he packed it that morning. Had he been hallucinating? Something else inside the bag caught his eye. He cautiously reached in and took it out.

It was a chocolate candy, with the same foreign wrapper he found in his savior's coat pocket the day before.

He swallowed nervously and glanced around again. It took him a while to realize he had a huge smile on his face. Oh, he was definitely in love. If this was what falling in love felt like, he didn't mind it so much. Perhaps he could be in love and still treat everyone with an equal amount of kindness. Perhaps… He shook his head. He was feeling too fuzzy and lighthearted to think about anything else but his new infatuation.

Class suddenly didn't sound so appealing anymore.

He somehow managed to rise to his feet and stumble to the nurse's office. He would take Jounouchi's advice. Yes, he would. Maybe the nurse would let him sleep for a bit in the infirmary.

- - -

When Yuugi arrived at the game shop, he wasn't feeling so euphoric anymore. His head felt painfully heavy and his bandaged arm was still sore. He could hear his grandfather speaking with someone, perhaps a customer, as he tripped to the stairs. "Good afternoon, Grandpa," he muttered, before dragging himself up to his room.

"Wait, Yuugi," Grandpa called. "Come down here. I'd like you to meet my new employee."

With a great deal of effort, Yuugi managed to force himself down the stairs after throwing down his book bag. _Employee? Since when did Grandpa have employees?_

What he saw almost made him pass out again. Standing at the counter next to his grandfather was his object of affection, leather and all, carefully rearranging the packs of cards in a shoe box.

"Hey," Yuugi barely managed to whisper.

Yami looked up from his work and greeted him with a brief smile, offering his right hand. "Hello, my name is Yami. You might have seen me in class today. It's nice to meet you."

Yuugi bit his lip and took the hand, his eyes never leaving Yami's handsome face. _He gave me his first name. How strange. _Yami's skin felt nice and warm against his own as they formally shook hands. "Nice to meet you, too." He reluctantly released the welcoming hand. "I also work here, so if there's anything you need help with, feel free to ask." His own natural tone surprised him.

"Yuugi, let me talk with you for a moment," Grandpa interrupted, motioning for Yuugi to come over to the opposite side of the shop. Yuugi obeyed, giving Yami one last glance.

"What is it?"

His grandfather gently took his arm and examined it closely. "What happened today? The nurse called and said you weren't feeling well."

Yuugi shrugged. "It was an accident. I cut myself on my locker."

Grandpa sighed and shook his head sadly. "Please be more careful, Yuugi. Have you taken your medicine today?"

From the counter, Yami was desperately wishing he had his notebook with him, but his book bag was several feet away. Medicine? Well, Yuugi _did _look somewhat sickly and pale. Yami didn't doubt he was anemic at all.

Yuugi nodded. "I took half a pill this morning," he said. "I'll take the other half before dinner."

"Okay, I believe you, Yuugi," the old man replied. "Don't break my heart."

"I won't," Yuugi murmured, giving his grandfather a loose hug. "You can go rest. Yami and I will take care of the shop this afternoon."

Yami immediately looked down and tried to act as if he hadn't heard or seen anything that happened between the pair. _His grandfather seems to care an awful lot about him…_

"Yami, I'm going upstairs," Grandpa said. "Ask Yuugi if you have any questions."

"Yes, sir."

The old man quietly left. In the corner of his eye, Yami noticed Yuugi was gazing at him strangely. _Probably still puzzled by the fact that we look so much alike._ But they didn't really look alike other than the hair. There was really no way they could be mistaken for brothers. The skin contrast was obvious. And Yuugi had the sweet face Yami could never imitate.

Yami watched as Yuugi stood on his toes to turn on the radio on the shelf. He was secretly glad. Listening to the news gave him something to do. For the first time ever, Yami was feeling shy. What could they talk about, really?

"…found a body lying in the alley of two abandoned buildings," the radio was saying. "The body belonged to a thirty-two year old jobless man by the name of Fujiwara Kento. No family members of his was to be found in government files. Police inform us that the man has been dead for around twenty-four hours as of now. The owner of the pocketknife that was found in the back of the head was said to be unidentified. The manufacturer of this knife also cannot be identified. Scientists are now doing further research…"

Yuugi quickly glanced at Yami, but Yami, who was now wiping the counter with a soapy towel, remained indifferent to the news. "Yami…" Yuugi began, not sure whether or not he should take the chance.

Yami looked up inquiringly.

"D-Do you want your jacket back?" Yuugi breathed. "I think the jacket I have is yours… from yesterday."

Yami froze for a moment before going back to his work. Yuugi waited nervously for a response. "It doesn't matter," Yami finally said. "Keep it if you want to. I have another one." It was a lie, but he didn't want Yuugi to feel uncomfortable.

He smiled to himself as Yuugi's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Then, his eyes trailed to Yuugi's bandaged arm.

The blood was seeping through the bandages.

- - -

****

Note: AGH! My chapters just keep getting longer and longer. Dammit, I have like 102 degrees fever and I'm coughing like hell, which is why this chapter has so many mistakes. Anyway, someone tell me how obvious Yuugi's problem is. I bombarded this chapter with clues and hints because I thought the story was moving too slow. If you don't see Yuugi's issue, that's good. If you think you know, DON'T SAY ANYTHING! =]

Yuugi: *sniff* You are eeeeeevil.

Lanlan: Oh, yes. Everyone will know just how evil I am by the time I finish writing this story (which is probably never).

Yami: *raises knife* If you hurt Yuugi in any way…

Lanlan: Aaaaaaaaah! *runs away*

Review? Please? And constructive criticism is good. Wow. Four chapters. This is the farthest I've gotten in a fanfic. Hee.


	5. Chapter 05

CHAPTER FIVE

It was Saturday, and Yami had an entire day to work at the game shop. "Saturday, better known as 'Income Day' in this household, is the best day of the week," Grandpa Mutou had told him the other day. Yami really liked the old man. He had such a jolly character.

Grandpa was already up and sweeping outside the shop door when Yami arrived. "Good morning, Yami," he greeted, wiping the sweat off his brow. "I'm glad you came so early today. Yuugi's inside, eating breakfast. You can help him set things up if you want. And have some food." He grinned proudly. "My grandson makes the best pancakes in all of Japan."

Yami smiled and thanked him. As he entered the cozy shop, he found Yuugi sitting in a high stool, wearing a T-shirt ten sizes too big, twirling his pancake around on his fork and reading a gaming magazine. Yami was glad to see that the cut across his arm no longer needed bandages and was scarring slightly. "Having fun with your pancake?" he teased.

Yuugi blushed and immediately lowered his fork. Yami sounded so casual for a moment, almost as if they've known each other for years…

"It's fine," Yami said, laughing to himself. He watched as Yuugi took a large bite out of his pancake. "Keep twirling. Is there anything I can do for now?"

"Wou'd you… like to hab a 'ancake?"

For a moment, Yami had to resist the urge to run over the the boy and give him the biggest hug on the planet. _So innocent… so perfect… _He shook his head. "No, thank you," he managed to say. "Save them for your grandfather. I'm sure he'd be hungry after all that sweeping."

Yuugi swallowed, looking slightly hurt. "It's okay," he murmured, so soft Yami could barely hear him. "We have plenty of pancakes. And I made extras just for…" His voice trailed off as his face reddened even more. He nervously took another bite.

__

For me?

"Could I?" Yami asked, his heart skipping a beat. Yuugi _wanted_ him to eat a pancake. Not just a pancake, but a pancake he made. "I mean, I wouldn't want to trouble you…"

Yuugi brightened, hopping off his stool, the last bite of his pancake disappearing into his small mouth. "Sure. Give me a second," he said, vanishing into the next room, his shirt covering most of his bare legs as he walked. Yami secretly wondered if he was wearing anything underneath.

His heart fluttering madly, Yuugi made his way into the kitchen. Yami was so kind, so polite, so… enticing. Yuugi had to pause and breath for a moment before remembering what he came to the kitchen for. _Pancakes… for Yami._ He stacked Yami's plate with as many pancakes as he could, topping it all off with a swirl of whipped cream and a blueberry.

"Pancake is ready!" he called, hoping his voice didn't crack as badly as he thought it did. "You can come in!"

Yami's eyes widened as he entered the room, the large stack of pancakes immediately catching his attention. "Oh, Yuugi! You didn't have to. I can't finish this…"

Yuugi squirmed around bashfully, desperately wishing he could disappear. "I'll take some out for you," he said weakly.

Before Yami could protest, Yuugi had already skillfully drawn out three of the layers using only a fork and a knife. "Is that too much? Or not enough? Do you want maple syrup or butter? Oh, I forgot! You might be allergic to whipped cream…" He said this all very fast, lightly rocking back and forth in one place.

"Don't worry," Yami replied softly, careful not to scare the boy any further. "The amount is perfect. I'll have some maple syrup. And no, I'm not allergic to whipped cream."

Lowering his eyes, Yuugi handed him the container of maple syrup. "Do you want anything else?"

"Well, you can sit down and talk to me." Yami paused, searching the boy's face. "Or you can sit and _not_ talk, if you don't want to," he added hastily. "I just don't want to cause you any more discomfort."

Yuugi sat down across from him, watching him eat the pancakes. Yami's every move could make the hairs on the back of his neck quiver, the way he would slice the pancake into small pieces before dipping it into the maple syrup and bringing the tip of the fork to his lips, licking the fork afterwards with a sultry tongue. Once in a while, he would look up and tell Yuugi how delicious the pancakes were, and Yuugi would blush, his heart filling with pride. Yami ate the blueberry last, holding it between his fingers and popping the small fruit into his mouth. For a moment, Yuugi thought he would lick his fingers clean, but he reached for a napkin instead.

"So what's it like… in Egypt?" Yuugi asked, eyeing Yami's syrup-stained plate.

"It's not so special," Yami said, fingering his napkin idly. "Modern Egypt is just like any other place, with buses and tall buildings. Of course, the language and climate is different. Where I come from, we speak English and Arabic."

Just as Yuugi was about to ask how Yami learned Japanese so perfectly, his grandfather strode in through the door. "Yuugi! We have three customers waiting outside! It's time to get back to work!"

Yami stood and apologized, explaining how hungry he was. Yuugi looked away guiltily, muttering something about changing his shirt and cleaning up the dishes as Yami left to tend the customers with Grandpa.

After he was certain Yami was busy with something else, Yuugi reached for the empty plate on the table and dipped his finger into Yami's leftover maple syrup. He swirled it around a bit, making sure to brush his skin against the tip of the fork, and brought sticky substance to his own mouth.

- - -

Yami was bored. He had been working all morning and noon with Yuugi, who was now on a short break with his grandfather. Grandpa had kept them busy with chores such as dusting off the tiniest corners of every shelf, making sure each game was in its right place in alphabetical order, and finding whatever each customer asked for even if it meant going through every game in the entire store. If Yuugi didn't come back soon, Yami didn't know what he would do.

He was so caught up with his thoughts that he didn't even notice a customer coming through the door.

"Earth to Yuugi!" a feminine voice called. "Not even one 'hello' for me. Hmph." Whoever it was, she was now waving her lavender nailpolish in his face, wearing a fingerless glove on her hand. "What's wrong with you today?"

Yami blinked and looked up. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

The woman's eyes widened as she took a step back. "You're not Yuugi!" she exclaimed. "Who are you? His long-lost cousin?"

"No. I work here."

The woman leaned across the counter and examined him closely. "Well, now that I take a good look, you two look nothing alike. Where is the cutie-pie, anyway? I haven't visited in a while."

Yami shrugged. "He's on break," he said. "How may I help you?"

"You can take that cute ass of yours and go find Yuugi for me."

__

Who the hell does this woman think she is? "It is Yuugi's lunch break," Yami repeated slowly, looking her straight in the eye. "If you don't need anything, you can always come back later to speak with him."

The woman laughed, a sunny sound that filled the room. "I like you, kid. You don't just take orders from anyone." She held out her hand. "The name's Mai. Kujaku Mai. It's nice to meet you."

Yami shook her hand firmly. "Yami," he said simply.

"Just Yami?"

"Ohama," Yami replied. "But I'd prefer Yami."

The moment Yami finished his sentence, Yuugi quietly entered the shop, his eyes brightening as the woman turned to give him a kind smile. "Hello, Mai," he greeted. "How are you? Do you want something to drink?"

"Gee, no need to be all formal around me, Yuugi," Mai replied. "By the way, your friend here is _such_ an enthusiastic worker. He was just _iching_ to help me out." She sounded so utterly sarcastic, Yuugi didn't know how to respond.

Yami gave her a piercing glare that would have made any other woman shrink back in fear before coming out from behind the counter. "I'll be back in half an hour," he muttered to Yuugi, allowing his hand to lightly brush against Yuugi's back as he left the shop.

Yuugi turned bright red, trying hard not to gasp out loud. He gazed out the glass door, watching as Yami crossed the street and turned at the corner.

Mai whistled. "Is it just me, or does little Yuugi have a crush on someone?"

"I'm just a little edgy today, that's all," Yuugi said meekly.

"I know a crush when I see one, and _that_, my friend, is a crush," Mai declared. "You should go for it. It isn't every day that a sexy guy like Yami comes around and starts working right under your own bedroom."

Yuugi sighed. As much as he wanted to go for it, he knew he couldn't. He shouldn't. It was wrong, so very very wrong, for _him_ to even think about being loved by someone else. He already caused his grandpa enough suffering. Then again, Yami would probably never love him back._ But he cares… Yami cares about me. If only he knew he was making such a terrible mistake. If only I wasn't so selfish…_

"Maybe I will," Yuugi lied. "Thanks."

- - -

****

Note: Aaaaaaah! Why is this story moving so slow? Why??? *tears hair out* Anyway, I wish I could answer all your questions without giving everything away, but unfortunately, I can't, so I won't. Oh, yes. No dissing Mai. She's the only female character I've actually thought was cool before, so don't ruin my image of her. I can assure you she won't fall in love with Yami and tear him away from Yuugi. And um… I know some of you think Anzu is Yuugi's girlfriend, but she's not (it's only what Yami thinks). If she is, then Yuugi has many many girlfriends. You'll see what I mean later. Thank you guys for all your kind reviews! *throws Yuugi plushies at everyone*

Yami: No Yami plushies? *sweatdrop*

Lanlan: Nope. Yuugi stole all of them.

Yuugi: *completely naked in bed, buried in a pile of Yami plushies, muttering to self* I love you, Yami… You're mine. All mine.

Yami: Oh, gods. That… is the most arousing scene I have ever come across. *drools* Never knew this possessive side of him…

Please review and tell me what you liked and didn't like. Thanks. Oh, yeah, one more thing. Check out my new doodle of Yami and Yuugi. It's not so great, but it's the closest their lips have gotten in my fanart: (deviantart.com/view/4276350). You might have to add the 'www' part. =]


	6. Chapter 06

CHAPTER SIX

For the entire following week, Yuugi made no attempt to speak with Yami at all. Yami easily made friends with half the school, falling inevitably into the most popular crowd of students. Of course, they occasionally spoke a word or two during Yami's work hours, but they secretly watched each other for the most part, Yuugi turning away timidly every time their eyes accidentally met.

"This new guy sure is popular," Jounouchi stated simply during lunch. "You think he would teach me a trick or two if I asked?"

Yuugi giggled. "You're charming enough, Jounouchi. You don't need tips."

"Of course, he doesn't," Honda said. He stuck his nose in the air in a false imitation of his blond friend. "I'm Jounouchi. I'm beautiful. I'm intelligent. I'm athletic. And all the girls dig me."

"Honda! That isn't very nice!" a soft voice cut in. It was Ryou, the shy boy who reminded Yuugi very much of himself. The snowy-haired boy sat down at their table next to Yuugi and across from the two bickering clowns. "Good morning, Yuugi. I haven't spoken to you in a while."

Yuugi smiled. "Yeah, it's nice that you're back with us, today. What happened between you and Bakura?"

A small laugh escaped Ryou's lips. "Oh, nothing. He and Ohama, along with several other guys, decided to go for a drink at the bar down the block for lunch. He asked if I wanted to come, but you know I don't approve of alcohol, and neither does the school."

Yuugi nodded in understanding. _Yami? Drinking?_ He could definitely picture it: Yami sitting in one of those bar stools, wearing tight black leather, smoking a cigarette and ordering a vodka. Suddenly, alcohol didn't sound so bad to him. He imagined going into a bar and sitting down next to Yami, who would then take a sip from his glass and glance at him suggestively with those beautiful exotic eyes, shielded by long dark lashes. Just the mere thought sent shivers down his spine.

"Yuugi? Are you okay?" Ryou asked, interrupting his reverie.

"Huh?" Yuugi looked up to find three pairs of concerned eyes on him before realizing he had just dozed off. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, grinning sheepishly. "I was just thinking about something."

"Well, it must've been important," Jounouchi said. "Because some seventh grade girl just came up to you and told you she had the biggest crush on you, and you didn't even say anything."

Yuugi's eyes widened in shock. "What?"

Jounouchi chuckled. "Just kidding. You need to stop caring so much about other people. Relax, man."

"Speaking of girls," Honda said, "here comes one now."

He was right. It was Miho, one of the more popular girls in the class. She came up to them, swaggering around in her little skirt. "Hey, sweetie," she whispered, gently touching Yuugi's nose with her finger.

"Hi, Miho."

"Do you think you could walk me to your grandfather's game shop today? I'd really like to see what it looks like, and maybe I can visit your room, too?" Miho gave him a flirtatious smile, trailing her fingers down Yuugi's cheek. For some strange reason, all the girls loved touching him, especially Miho and several others.

"Sure," Yuugi replied. Almost the entire school knew Yami worked there every afternoon, and his grandpa was pleased to have so many customers. But Yuugi knew Miho was one of the few girls who probably wasn't going for Yami. She wanted something else.

"It's a date, then," she said, giving him a wink and turning to leave. "I'll meet you at the school gate after class."

Jounouchi shook his head after she was gone. "Do you even like her?"

"Not really," Yuugi admitted. "But she's okay. She's not a mean person or anything."

"That girl just wants a nice long fuck-session with you," Honda declared. "You should really watch out, Yuugi."

Ryou gently patted him on the back.

Yuugi lowered his eyes, averting their gaze. "Thanks, guys."

- - -

Yami narrowed his eyes as Yuugi and a girl from their class entered the shop. As attracted to Yuugi as he was, he had to say that boy was quite promiscuous when it came to clingy girls like Anzu and Miho. For whatever personal reason it was, Yami didn't know, but it bothered him. He couldn't understand how someone so pure and kindhearted could have a different girl on his arm every few days.

Miho was now giggling as Yuugi took her hand and led her to the stairs to his room. For a moment, Yami almost wished Grandpa was here, but the old man was out shopping for weekly groceries. His heart dropped as he watched the couple disappear upstairs. _Yuugi… If only you could receive the love you deserve._ Desperately, he wanted to be alone, but there were too many flirting customers to tend to. He was almost too glad to see Mai walk in through the door at that exact moment.

"Wow," she said. "Hey, girls, give the man some breathing space."

Almost automatically, the girls moved aside for her. Several stuck around, but most of them immediately left the shop.

Mai looked around. "Am I _that_ unwelcome here?"

"Oh, no, you're very welcome," Yami replied, a little too enthusiastic to be healthy. "Thank you for coming. As much as I hate to admit this, you saved my ass this time."

"No problem."

Suddenly, Miho came running back down the stairs with her backpack, headed for the main entrance. She didn't even glance at Mai or Yami as she made her way to the door.

Yami grabbed her by her book bag, flinging her back and into the glass counter. "Where is he? What did you do to him?"

Miho was crying now, her tears streaming down her cheeks. "I don't know what happened!" she shrieked. "I swear, I didn't do anything! Let me go home! Please!"

The remaining customers stared in horror, fighting to leave the shop. In less than seconds, there was not one customer left.

Clenching his fists, Yami slowly advanced toward the frightened girl. "You will tell me what you did to him," he growled, "or you will not leave this shop in one piece. Now, spit it out! What did you do to Yuugi?"

"Stop it, Yami," Mai interrupted. "Maybe the poor girl didn't do anything."

Yami shook his head helplessly. "Make sure she doesn't run away," he said, before dashing up the stairs to find Yuugi.

Fortunately, the door was unlocked. Yami cautiously pushed it open, the limp body on the bed immediately catching his attention. _Oh, gods._ He slowly approached the bed and found Yuugi lying half naked with his pants completely unzipped, apparently unconscious.

"Yuugi?" he murmured, sitting down on the bed and gently tapping the bare shoulder. "Wake up, Yuugi. Your girlfriend left."

Yuugi didn't budge.

Yami grabbed his arm and felt for a pulse, relieved to find the boy still alive. The small hand was cold and clammy, and the color appeared to have drained from the boy's skin. Without hesitating, Yami took the hand in his own, gently rubbing their skin together to create enough warmth for the boy. With his other hand, he pulled the comforters around the naked body and tucked Yuugi in.

For a moment, Yuugi looked so lovely, so angelic, Yami wanted to lean over and capture the parted pale lips in a kiss.

"Is he okay?" Mai asked softly. Miho stood outside the door behind her, staring guiltily at the carpet.

"I think so," Yami replied, giving the delicate hand a small squeeze before lifting the blanket to cover Yuugi arm. He gently massaged the curve of Yuugi's waist through the comforters, hoping to give the boy at least the slightest amount of warmth. "What happened? What did Miho do to him?"

"She says she was touching him, and he just sort of turned pale. Then, he fainted."

Yami waved Miho off before turning his attention back to Yuugi's motionless form. "You can leave. I think I can figure out the rest."

The girl gave him and Yuugi one last glance before rushing down the stairs. The jingling of the front door could be heard as she left.

Mai came and sat down next to him. "By the time that girl gets home, the whole city is going to think you have a thing for Yuugi. You should have seen that expression on your face earlier when you were tucking the cutie-pie in. Admit it, Yami. You're in love."

Yami said nothing as he continued to run his hand up and down Yuugi's side.

"Say something, kid."

"Did you leave the shop unattended?" he asked.

A harsh laugh escaped Mai's lips. "Do you think I'm _that_ careless? I locked the doors from the outside and flipped the 'Open' sign. Don't worry about it. Everything is under control."

Yami sighed. "Thank you," he muttered. "You're right. I have a thing for him, but I don't think it's love. It's more like… a desire to protect him. Yuugi is such a sweet person. He deserves so much more."

Mai nodded in agreement. "Definitely. Maybe you can give him what he deserves."

"No, I can't give him that. I'm not capable of it."

"Maybe you can," Mai repeated. "I swear, there's some strange connection between the two of you. I don't know what it is, but it's something. I'll leave you two alone for now. Think about it." She left, the sound of her clicking heels disappearing down the steps.

A familiar bundle of leather above Yuugi's pillow caught Yami's eye. He smiled at the thought of Yuugi sleeping with his jacket every night. Did the jacket really mean so much to the boy that he would keep it folded so neatly next to his pillow?

Yami gently brushed aside a strand of blond hair from Yuugi's doll-like face. He gingerly leaned forward and closed his eyes, allowing his lips to linger against the smooth cold cheek for a moment. _I will protect you with my life, little one. At least I will be doing something worthwhile._ He wanted to take the boy into his arms and bury his face into the soft skin, but he knew that would be taking advantage of Yuugi's unconscious state. He had sworn to never harm another for his own pleasures again, and he wasn't about to break his own promise, especially not with this beautiful compassionate creature.

"My heart belongs to you, Yuugi," he whispered to the sleeping boy, taking Yuugi's frail hand and pressing it to his chest, curling the slender fingers in with his thumb. "Please don't break it."

And little did Yuugi know what he had just taken.

- - -

****

Note: Hey, it's some background information on Yami! Yay! Don't you love him, even though I made him sound like some sex-crazed dude? Anyway, you have to pity him. Everything will be revealed in one chapter, sometime later in the story. I'm posting this a bit later than I intended because as you guys know, some freak named "crapper" hacked into my account. Don't worry. I already wrote the chapter after this one! Whee!

Oh, yes, to respond to the reviews that got deleted: YOU GUYS ARE MAKING ME SO GUILTY! WAAAAAAH! I really want to tell you what's wrong with Yuugi, but I don't want to spoil everything. Here's a hint: Now I feel bad about whatever I'm doing to Yuugi because of your reviews. Hehehe. It's too late to change the story now, but I hope you guys will keep reading, even if something bad _does_ happen. *sweatdrop* I have to say this is the angstiest fanfic I have ever written, and that's saying a lot.

Yami: I don't think I want to know what happens next.

Yuugi: *cries in the corner* I wish I could tell you, Yami, but I can't.

Lanlan: Gah! Enough with the drama!

Please review. Your encouraging reviews make me very very happy. Even if you don't like my fic, it's nice to know someone is willing to take the time to tell me what they don't like. So um… help me improve this ficcie. =]


	7. Chapter 07

CHAPTER SEVEN

__

A warm breath fluttered against his cheek, hesitantly, affectionately. Then, a pair of gentle lips grazed his skin, such a foreign yet welcomed feeling. His eyes weren't open, but he could feel the ruby eyes, so full of longing and sorrow, gazing upon his face.

"My heart belongs to you, Yuugi. Please don't break it."

Yuugi stirred in his sleep. That was some nice dream he just had. He reached up to touch his cheek, but found something in the palm of his hand. His eyes snapped open. It was another piece of chocolate from Yami. He blushed and looked around the room, relieved but somewhat disappointed to find only his grandfather, sitting at the edge of his bed.

"Oh, Yuugi, you're awake," the old man said, looking concerned. "How do you feel?"

Yuugi shifted around under the covers. He felt… naked? Suddenly, his memories of this afternoon came flooding back into his head. Did his grandfather know there had been a girl in his room? Had Yami told him? He looked around, relieved to find his discarded clothes nowhere in sight. "I'm okay," he replied. He grinned sheepishly. "A little thirsty, though."

His grandfather smiled lovingly and gave him a kiss on the forehead before heading downstairs to bring him water. Yuugi took advantage of this and rushed to his closet, pulling on a random shirt and buttoning his pants, before dashing back under the covers, just in time to see Grandpa coming through the door.

Yuugi sat up on the bed and drained the cup the moment he received it, the water refreshing his senses. "What happen, Grandpa?" he asked. "Did I faint again?"

Grandpa nodded. "Yami was here with you when I arrived. He said you came upstairs and didn't come back down, so he and Mai got worried and came to check up on you."

"Mai was here?"

"Well, not when I got home," Grandpa replied. "But Yami says she was a big help. We'll have to thank her later."

Yuugi nodded, his eyes landing on the leather jacket next to his pillow. Had Yami seen it? Could he somehow have figured out Yuugi's obsession? He closed his eyes, trying to imagine Yami's expression, but he couldn't. What did he really know about the mysterious boy? And what did Yami think of him now, after finding out what happened between him and Miho? Suddenly, a thought hit him in the face. Could Yami have really kissed him on the cheek this afternoon, or was it only in his fantasies? He hoped it was only a dream, but he secretly knew he couldn't suppress his true desires. As long as Yami didn't love him back, everything would be okay. He could fantasize all he wanted…

"Are you okay, Yuugi? You seem a bit out of it."

"Oh!" Yuugi shook his head, pulling his grandfather into a warm hug, the chocolate candy from Yami still gripped tightly in his hand. "I'm fine, Grandpa. Really. You shouldn't worry so much about me. I'll be fine. I promise."

For a moment, Grandpa seemed doubtful, but he returned the embrace, anyway.

- - -

__

- (17:55) twiddles thumbs and continues playing solitaire on counter

- (17:58) starts to hum in a sweet beautiful soprano and stops abruptly, glances in my direction and blushes

- (18:03) wins third game of solitaire and cleans up cards

- (18:05) fingers twitch, glances in my direction

- (18:08) stands on stool and reaches—

"Yuugi! Watch out!" Yami gasped, as a large plastic box from the top shelf came tumbling down onto the boy. He slammed his notebook shut and rushed over to the stool as Yuugi quickly lost his balance, falling over the edge of the stool into his arms, unharmed. The box landed, spilling its contents all over the floor.

Yuugi sighed in relief as a pair of strong arms encircled his waist, bringing him to his feet. It took him a while to realize who the arms belonged to. "Yami?" he cried, spinning around so their chests were pressed tightly together. He took a step back, immediately regretting so as the warmth disappeared. "Th-Thanks…"

There were no customers in the shop today, only the two of them. And Grandpa was busy making dinner in the kitchen.

Yami shrugged casually. "No problem. What were you reaching for, anyway?"

"Those," Yuugi whispered, pointing to the scattered action figures and stuffed animals on the floor, blushing furiously. "I haven't touched them in a while. I thought they might feel…" His voice trailed off.

Deciding not to probe further, Yami bent over and began to pick up the toys, lovingly dusting them off before placing them gently into the box. If they meant so much to Yuugi, he may as well treat them the same way Yuugi would.

Yuugi helped him, and soon, everything was back in the box, much neater than it had been a few minutes ago.

"Thank you," Yuugi said, staring at the contents in the box, a mix of emotions crossing his features. He hung his head in guilt. "I'm sorry. I should never have taken them down in the first place."

"It's all right," Yami replied with a small smile. He could picture Yuugi sitting in bed, hugging all his stuffed animals at once because he didn't want any of them to feel left out, telling them the day's events. Then, he would either laugh or cry after he was finished, tell them all how much he loved them, and perhaps read them a storybook. "It's always nice to have some extra friends sitting around."

His heart melted as Yuugi's face broke into a genuine smile. Reluctantly, he made his way to his side of the counter, pulling out his math homework. Staring at Yuugi was getting him nowhere.

Yuugi looked around nervously. Why were there no customers today? During Yami's work hours, there were always crowds of customers at the counter. It was too quiet. He slowly rotated his hand around, noting to himself how pale he was growing. Desperately, he wanted to open his box of toys and take them all out, but something told him he didn't want Yami to think of him as a small child.

"Hey, math whiz," Yami muttered from behind, almost scaring the poor boy out of his pants. "Could you help me with today's math homework? I don't understand these functions."

Yuugi gulped, leaning forward into the counter, too nervous to turn around completely. Yami was a bit too close for comfort. He could almost feel the heat Yami gave off. "Sure, I'll try." _That is, if I can concentrate around you…_ "Which ones do you need help with?"

Yami refused to budge as he placed his binder on the counter, looking over Yuugi's shoulder. "That one," he said, snaking his arm around Yuugi's shoulder and pointing at an outrageously long equation with the tip of his pencil. "I'm not sure how to graph it."

Was Yami _flirting_ with him? Yuugi felt his cheeks burning as he tried to focus on the equation. "Um…" _Oh, god. I can't think! Say something! You know how to do these problems!_ He could smell the familiar scent of the cologne Yami was wearing, filling his mind with inappropriate thoughts. No, he wouldn't pass out now. He couldn't… This was so embarrassing!

"Are you all right, Yuugi?"

Yuugi tried to respond, but his throat was too tight, so he nodded instead.

"Am I too close?" Yami asked, reading Yuugi's mind. "I'm sorry."

To Yuugi's relief, and disappointment, he took a step back. They gazed at each other uneasily before Yuugi proceeded to explain the math problem step by step, pausing patiently whenever Yami had a question.

Grandpa's head appeared at the kitchen door. "Yuugi! Time for dinner! How about a day off for you tomorrow, Yami? You been working for about a month now. I think you need a little break. I'll even pay you for the hours."

"Thank you, sir," Yami said. He couldn't refuse, or else he may seem a bit too enthusiastic toward his work. And perhaps he could take the time to relax and be like a normal student for once. He glanced at Yuugi, who was staring uncomfortably at his shoes, rocking back in forth. Was Yuugi afraid of him, or was it something else? Probably afraid. _If only I could show him how I would never hurt him in any way…_

He muttered a good-bye and headed home.

- - -

****

Note: Erm… short chapter, I know, but I promise the next will be longer. Yuugi goes to Yami's apartment and meets Bastet! Whee! I figured if they were going to get together sooner or later, why not speed things up a bit? Sorry for making Yuugi sound like a whore, but that's part of the story. Can't tell you more than that. Hehehe.

Yami: Gah. Yuugi is _mine_. Not a whore.

Lanlan: Well, then, it's your job to make him un-whorish.

Yami: *leads Yuugi into the next room* Oh, trust me. After tonight, he will never want anyone else on him again.

Yuugi: *giggles madly*

Okay, a little too much information there. Anyway, please review! And happy holidays! =]


	8. Chapter 08

CHAPTER EIGHT

Yuugi sighed as he found Yami chatting with his new friends at the school gate. His grandfather was right, Yami deserved a little rest from work, but Yuugi couldn't help feeling disappointed, even if it was only one afternoon away from Yami.

Suddenly, Yuugi realized Yami's little group of friends were whispering and glancing sideways in his direction. His cheeks burned with embarrassment as he turned away, pretending to be looking at the school building. A hand grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him around. Yuugi refused to look up, but just from the long legs in front of him, he knew it was Otogi, one of Yami's better friends.

"Hey, kid," he said, his tone neutral. "Why do you keep looking at us? Is there something you want?"

Yuugi swallowed nervously, staring at his shoes. Otogi wasn't one of the bullies, but Yuugi knew the boy could easily rip him apart if he wanted to. "No. I'm sorry if I was bothering you. I won't do it again."

"Tell me why you keep looking at us," Otogi demanded.

"Leave him alone," a deep voice interrupted behind him. "He can do whatever he wants to do."

Otogi immediately took his hands off Yuugi's shoulder, giving a small "humph" before returning to his crowd.

Bakura released a cold laugh. "So, Ohama," he teased. "Miho was right. There _is_ something going on between you two. Tell us, what have you been doing to the poor boy every—"

Yami socked him in the jaw, chuckling as Bakura fell back several feet onto the ground, rubbing his cheek. His friends laughed uneasily, slightly backing away. "Sorry," Yami said, pulling his friend up by the hand, sounding truly apologetic. "I just had to do that. You were asking for it."

Yuugi's eyes widened in shock. Could Bakura have meant what he thought…? Suddenly, a familiar warm arm found its way around his waist, gently leading him away from the snickering boys.

"Come on, Yuugi," Yami muttered softly. "Let's get you away from these crazy buffoons."

Yami's friends were now whistling and hooting behind them. "Yeah, Ohama!" one of them shouted. "You show him how good you are in bed!" "Give it to him!" "Hey, Yuugi-kun! Tell us about it tomorrow!"

If possible, Yuugi reddened even more as Yami tightened his arm around him. But it didn't feel threatening at all. Instead, it felt comforting, as if Yami's intention was truly to prevent the boys from causing him further embarrassment. "Ignore them, Yuugi," Yami whispered into his ear as he led Yuugi across the street and around the corner. "They have no idea what they're talking about."

Yuugi nodded, not exactly sure who to believe as they came to a stop.

"Would you like to come over?" Yami asked. He sounded so kind and sincere, Yuugi didn't know what to think. "I have a cat who's dying to meet you. I think she's tired of me, but of course, it's your choice."

His heart was screaming for him to go with Yami, but his mind told him there was something strange about the boy, something he couldn't trust. Of course, Yami looked much more normal in his school uniform, but there was still that mysterious aura Yuugi couldn't ignore. "Sure," he said, sounding as casual as he could possibly manage.

"Take this," Yami said, dropping a coin into Yuugi's palm and nodding at the nearest phone booth. "Go call your grandfather. I'll wait here for you. Make sure he knows where you're going. I live about twenty blocks from the school." He watched sadly as Yuugi made his way to the booth. He could almost feel Yuugi's fear every time they were near each other, and his friends, as fun as they were to be with, weren't helping much. Was he really _that_ intimidating?

Yuugi came jogging back to him, a small smile lighting his features. "Grandpa says I can go, but I need to be home by five."

"That's fine," Yami said. "I'll walk you home at four-thirty."

Without hesitating, Yuugi followed Yami down the block, his heart skipping as he walked.

- - -

Yami's place was a cozy little apartment. Everything was plain and neatly arranged. There was only a springy-looking couch and a small table in the living room, no television or stereo system of any sort. A pile of textbooks and novels were piled in the corner near the window, next to the chipped dining table. A small kitchen counter and stove stood beside the table, along with the tiniest refrigerator Yuugi had ever seen. He looked around for any signs of movement, but there was no one else in sight.

"Have a seat on the couch," Yami said. "I'll make us some hot cocoa."

Yuugi made himself comfortable, propping his elbow against one of the deflated pillows. The entire house smelled like Yami, even the couch sheets had the same masculine scent. It made him wonder if Yami lived alone. "Is anyone else home?" he asked, deciding to take a chance.

"No," Yami replied from the counter. "Only my cat and I live here. It's nice, having the freedom to do whatever I wish."

Yuugi lowered his eyes, regretting his question. He desperately wanted to find out more about Yami, but kept silent about the topic, afraid to offend the boy in any way. "What's your cat's name?" he asked.

Yami turned away from the boiling pot of water and looked around the room. "Do you see her?" he said with a hint of surprise. "I've never had guests before. I'd expect her to be a little shy around you."

"Oh, no," Yuugi said quickly. "I was only wondering."

Giving a slight smile, Yami turned away again, taking out a jar of cocoa powder and two mugs from the cupboard. "Her name is Bastet," he said, placing two spoonfuls of powder in each mug. "I named her after an Egyptian goddess with the head of a cat. I think it suits her quite well." He gracefully poured in the hot water from the pot with one hand, stirring with the other. As he turned around to glance at Yuugi, their eyes met for a brief second.

Yuugi blushed and pretended to be staring at the pillow. Examining it closely, he could see thin scratch marks across the fabric. He felt the couch sink as Yami sat down next to him, offering him a steamy cup of hot cocoa. "Thanks," he murmured quietly.

Their fingers brushed as he took the mug from Yami's hand. It was still hot, so he blew on it for a while, watching Yami swallow a mouthful before taking a few sips of his own. It was completely silent, but the silence was a comfortable one. Suddenly, Yuugi heard a soft purr and a light scratching noise against the wooden floor tiles from the next room.

"Come out, Bastet," Yami called, lifting his face from his drink. "Yuugi's here to see you."

A small paw appeared at the door, followed by the most beautiful black cat Yuugi had ever seen. Every step she took was filled with pride and confidence, almost reminding Yuugi of Yami himself.

Yami placed his mug down on the table and Bastet promptly hopped into his lap, making herself comfortable and curling her long tail around his arm. She looked up at Yuugi and blinked twice, her long whiskers twitching slightly.

Yuugi bit his lip nervously, immediately noticing how one eye was blue and the other was green. He had read somewhere cats could have different colored eyes, but he had never really seen one.

"Would you like to pet her?" Yami asked, gently scratching behind her ears. "She doesn't bite. Or at least I don't think she does."

Almost as if she understood what Yami had said, Bastet slowly rose from Yami's lap and crawled onto Yuugi, rubbing her face against his stomach and arms. Yuugi froze, concentrating on not spilling the cocoa all over the cat and himself. He sighed in relief as Yami reached over and took the cup from him, putting it down on the table next to his own.

"Go on," he said. "She likes you."

Yuugi swallowed. "I've never touched a cat before," he whispered.

Yami laughed casually. "It's easy," he said. He carelessly ruffled the black fur, immediately snatching his hand back as Bastet hissed and clawed at his arm before going back to nuzzling Yuugi's hands.

Holding back a giggle, Yuugi hesitantly reached down and gave the cat a small pet on the back.

"Don't be afraid," Yami said softly, cautiously reaching over. For a moment, Yuugi thought he was going to do something ridiculous to his cat again, but instead, a warm steady hand landed on his own, running it through the silky fur. Bastet slowly closed her eyes, purring loudly. For a moment, Yuugi had the urge to do the same. "See?" the deep voice continued, interrupting his thoughts. "It's not so bad, just as long as you avoid provoking her."

As Yami hand drew away, Yuugi immediately began to miss the warmth of the contact, but continued to stroke the cat anyway. "She's beautiful," he whispered, as the cat swished her tail against his leg contentedly.

"Isn't she?" Yami said, focusing his gaze on Yuugi's kind face, noting the way he closed his eyes when he smiled and how his shoulders would relax only when his happiness was genuine. "I found her on the streets when she was only a kitten. Or maybe it was she who found me." He picked up the mug from the table and drained it, glancing up at the clock on the wall as he did so. "It's almost four-thirty," he said, making his way to the sink and washing out the cup. "You should get ready to leave. Leave your cocoa if you don't want it. It's cold anyway."

"Okay," Yuugi said. "Thanks again." He glanced at his mug, only to find it a few inches away from where he had last seen it. Suddenly, he realized his mug was where Yami's mug once was. Was it an accident? Or had Yami purposely taken the wrong cup? Yuugi shook his head mentally. _Probably just an accident. A strange one, but an accident nonetheless._

But something in the back of his head told him it had not been just an accident.

- - -

****

Note: Hmmm… I feel our boys getting closer, don't you guys? Hehehe. No hints in this one, maybe a little in the beginning, but not much. It's just another one of those pointless fluffy things. Anyway, thank you SO MUCH for all those kind reviews! I love you all! And I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Yami: Yes, you should write more of these "pointless fluffy things" because I like them.

Yuugi: Me, too!

Lanlan: *rubs hands together and laughs evilly to self, puts on fluffy mask* Of course, boys. More fluff and less angst. Of course…

Yami: I sense a great evil.

Mwahahahaha. Please review! =]


	9. Chapter 09

CHAPTER NINE

"What did you boys do this afternoon?" Grandpa asked from across the dining table.

Yuugi shrugged, swallowing a mouthful of dinner. "We had some hot cocoa and he showed me his cat," he said, recalling several of the intimate moments. "Nothing much, really. Yami was nice to me and all."

Grandpa sighed. "To be honest, Yuugi," he began, pausing for a moment, "I don't trust him very much. I'm not quite sure why, but be careful around him. Please be careful. Don't let him hurt you."

Laughing uneasily, Yuugi took another sip from his soup. "Yami's okay, Grandpa," he said. "You worry too much."

"Well," Grandpa replied doubtfully. "I hope that's the case. But are you sure there was nothing suspicious in his house? Were there any strange odors? Drugs perhaps? Weapons?"

"No, or course not!" Yuugi exclaimed. "Yami's not like that! He's really nice."

Suddenly, his grandfather's expression hardened. "Yuugi, I have to tell you something," he said seriously. "I saw Yami the other day, when you weren't in the shop… He was reaching down for something, his uniform got caught on the counter edge, and I caught something that looked suspiciously like a small handgun strapped to his belt along with several switchblades. I don't know what he's up to, but the boy is dangerous. I'm not saying he's a threat to us or anything—"

"No, Grandpa," Yuugi interrupted, his heart skipping a beat. "You must've saw something else."

Grandpa Mutou looked at his grandson helplessly. "Well, if you say so," he replied weakly, beginning to clean the table. "You probably know Yami better than I do. But just… be careful, Yuugi. Please."

- - -

Yuugi managed to catch up to Ryou at the beginning of lunchtime the next day.

"Yuugi?" Ryou asked, slamming his locker shut. "What is it? What's the hurry?"

Taking a second to catch his breath, Yuugi looked desperately at his friend. "Do you know where Bakura and the other guys have been going during lunch these past weeks?"

"To the local bar," Ryou replied simply.

"Which one?" Yuugi implored. "There are three of them near the school."

Ryou shrugged. "I don't know. Why?"

"No reason," Yuugi said hastily, before turning to leave with a small wave. "Thanks."

__

Could Grandpa be right about him? No, I'll prove him wrong… But he knew Bakura's crowd wasn't exactly the well-behaved type. Yuugi gulped as he heard Yami's friends coming through the adjacent hallway. He would follow them today and find out.

From yards away, Yuugi could hear Yami and Bakura having a heated discussion about Egyptian toothpaste.

"…there's this other brand called _Horus's Choice_," Yami was saying. "I used to use it until I came across the commercial. The company paid a beefy Arabian man to dress like the Pharaoh and brush his teeth on-screen. I could see all this foam coming out from his mouth, which was completely full of big white teeth. You'd think they were planted into his mouth. I never used it again."

Bakura laughed. "It's like, 'toothpaste that not only cleans your teeth, but makes them fall out so you can replace them with bigger and whiter ones!' I wouldn't want to know what you'd look like right now if you had continued using it."

Yuugi smiled to himself. Who knew a guy as tough and rebellious as Bakura ever spoke about this stuff? They looked almost like normal highschool students as the boys walked side-by-side in school uniforms, laughing and chatting.

Silently, Yuugi watched them, pulling the hood of his sweater over his head, pretending to be one of the outsiders lurking around. He followed them outside the school and across the street. The more they walked, the closer they moved to the darkest parts of city. Yuugi shivered, quickening his pace to catch up. Suddenly, Yami stopped and turned around at the head of the crowd. For a moment, Yuugi thought he had spotted him, but quickly realized Yami had only turned to address his friends. Yuugi held his breath as he hid himself behind one of the wooden crates lying around. Glancing around, he could see graffiti covering every inch of the walls.

"This was Bakura's idea, so blame him for it if we get caught," Yami was saying. "But since we have a free period after lunch, Bakura and I decided to come for a game of pool or something _here_, just because we thought it would be fun. Remember to keep your weapons visible, and act tough, because the people here can't be considered people unless you're one of them. And _no fighting_."

Bakura chuckled. "Don't be so serious, Ohama. You take the fun out of everything. So, boys, let's party!"

Yuugi stiffened as he heard an eruption of wild cheers from behind him. Was this the Yami he loved? The dark and dangerous Yami? Or did he love the kind and caring boy who lived with his cat in a clean cozy apartment? When he turned around, the boys were already several blocks away, their school uniforms hidden safely in their backpacks.

Feeling his blood run cold from the silent streets, he turned and headed back.

- - -

"Yuugi! Where where you?" Jounouchi exclaimed as Yuugi walked over to their usual corner in the school courtyard. "We looked all over the school for you! Ryou said you disappeared after asking him where Bakura was."

"I…" Yuugi swallowed. "Sorry. I was in the bathroom." He felt terrible for lying, but he didn't want his friends worrying either.

"Well, okay," Jounouchi replied. He looked suspicious for a moment, but let the subject drop. "So, who's up for a game of handball?" he announced, holding up blue rubber ball.

Honda snatched it from him. "I am." Ryou looked doubtful for a moment, but eventually gave in.

"I'll watch," Yuugi said softly. His heart was still beating rapidly and his legs felt like water. And he was feeling somewhat woozy thinking about Yami, sitting in a bar with his friends. He made his way to the the bench and fell back onto it, listening to the wind, the sound of his friends arguing who would serve first in the background. Shivering slightly, he wrapped his arms tightly around himself.

He closed his eyes, Yami's image lingering in his mind. He pictured Yami, sitting next to him on the bench of the empty courtyard, their arms wrapped tightly around each other. Then, he would lean into the firm chest and listen Yami's steady heartbeat. And maybe, just maybe, Yami would bend down and capture his lips in a passionate kiss. Soon, Yuugi found himself imagining the taste of Yami's mouth. Would it be smooth and buttery? Sweet and sticky, like chocolate? Or perhaps even hot and spicy… He could still smell the light cologne, mixed with the scent that was simply Yami.

Suddenly, he realized he was crying. This was something he would never have, all because of who he was. _Why? Why me? Why can't I be like everyone else? Then maybe… Yami could love me and I would never have to worry about his love…_ Lifting a sleeve, he wiped his tears away. The imaginary warmth Yami had given him was quickly disappearing, leaving only a painful arousal. Looking up, he found his friends still playing handball.

"I'm going to my locker to get something!" he called. "I'll be back in a while."

His friends waved to him before turning back to their game. Yuugi grabbed his backpack and quickly dashed inside to the nearest bathroom. As he expected, there was no one inside. Feeling his pants grow tighter, he locked himself inside one of the stalls and unzipped them, hesitating for a moment before reaching down to stroke himself.

He slowly closed his eyes, from shame or excitement, he didn't know. All he could see was the crimson eyes, screaming with lust, as erotic words were whispered into his ear, one hard thrust after another. His breaths grew heavier as he continued. Any shame he felt earlier quickly disappeared as he became completely lost in his imagination. He could live, knowing his own sins, just this once. And as long as Yami never loved him back…

Yuugi could almost feel the searing erection inside him as he threw his head back and cried out his lover's name, loud and clear, his voice echoing against the high bathroom walls.

__

"…Yami!"

- - -

****

Note: Short, I know. I'm sorry! But the chapter just felt like it… ended, after that nice dirty scene. Couldn't figure out a way to continue it. It just feels so complete. I actually finished writing this AGES ago. I can't believe I didn't post it. It was left lying around to be rewritten, but I never got to doing that, mainly because I just reread it and decided it wasn't so bad. The story DOES have an 'R' rating after all. ^_~

Yami: Oh, please. Rated R? I'm not even taking part in Yuugi's action!

Yuugi: *whispers something in Yami's ear and giggles*

Yami: O_O Excuse us… *drags Yuugi into the next room*

Lanlan: Oh, no. Not this again.

I have no idea when the next update is, BUT I WILL FINISH THIS STORY! I WILL! Or at least I will die trying. I honestly can't wait until I write my second COMPLETED fanfic, and my FIRST completed yaoi fic! Aaaaaah! *goes nuts* Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

__

- (18:40) shifts around uncomfortably on his stool, "game over" music plays on Gameboy

- (18:46) loses another game

- (18:53) hops off stool and goes into the kitchen without a single word or glance

Yami sighed and dropped his pen on the counter without bothering to cap it. Yuugi had been avoiding him for the whole day, or rather, for the past two weeks, and Yami found his heart skipping a beat every time Yuugi turned away.

"Yami?" Grandpa interrupted, coming through the kitchen door. "Could you do me a big favor?"

"Sure," Yami replied casually. "What is it?"

Grandpa glanced around the shop before continuing. "I need to finish some business tonight, so can you stay a few extra hours? Maybe make a snack with Yuugi to keep you guys full until I return? I'll be home around nine-thirty, but I want you to make sure nothing happens to the shop… or Yuugi." He whispered his grandson's name, and as he did so, Yami thought he saw a flicker of sorrow pass through the old man's eyes. For the first time, Yami noticed his eyes were violet, almost the same color as his grandson's.

Yami nodded respectfully. "Yes, sir."

Giving Yami a smile and a pat on the back, the old man pulled on his jacket and left the house, the bells on the door handle jingling as he closed the door behind him.

As Yami was trying to decide whether or not to join Yuugi in the kitchen, the lovely face appeared at the door, followed by a plate of sushi. "I made sushi for us," Yuugi said softly, his shy voice making Yami dizzy with warmth. "Are you hungry?"

Yami smiled as kindly as he possibly could, hoping Yuugi wouldn't notice his slight blush. "Was that an invitation?" He almost laughed aloud as Yuugi's cheeks glowed bright red, cursing himself for taking such pleasure in humiliating the boy. Without hesitating, he flipped the "Open" sign and followed Yuugi into the kitchen, finding an even bigger plate of sushi on the table.

"That's for you," Yuugi said, nodding at the plate. "I hope you like shrimp and cucumbers. We had nothing else in the fridge…" He sounded almost guilty as they sat down across from each other, lowering his eyes and picking up his chopsticks, concentrating hard on his sushi.

"I love shrimp and cucumbers," Yami said, a little exaggerated, but he honestly didn't mind. How could he refuse something Yuugi made for him?

Yuugi's face noticeably relaxed as he skillfully held a piece of sushi between his chopsticks, dipping it into the plate of soy sauce in the center of the table. Yami fiddled around with his chopsticks, glancing at Yuugi's hand and adjusting his own position. A sweet giggle made its way to his ears.

"Sorry," Yuugi muttered, hiding his smile as Yami looked up. "Would you like a fork?" To his surprise, Yami shook his head and laughed.

"It's all right," Yami said. "I'll have to learn how to use these things, eventually. Could you… teach me?"

Yuugi nodded wordlessly, his eyes widening slightly as Yami leaned across the table to get a better view of his hand. "Um… you hold one chopstick against your middle finger and the other on your ring finger… and…" He swallowed, reaching his hand out, deciding to show Yami instead. "Like that… and you can move your fingers apart to… pick up the sushi…" Yami's face was only inches away, and Yuugi suddenly felt as if he were about to fall off his chair.

"Am I holding it correctly?" Yami asked, playfully moving the chopsticks up and down.

"Yes," Yuugi barely managed to whisper, releasing his breath as Yami back away into his seat. "Y-You're a fast learner."

"You're a good teacher," Yami replied, picking up a piece of sushi and dipping it into the soy sauce the same way Yuugi had done, popping it into his mouth. In the corner of his eye, he could see Yuugi watching him bashfully. "You also make the best pancakes _and_ the best sushi." He raised his eyebrows amusedly as Yuugi cupped his cheeks with his hands, trying to conceal his blush.

Yuugi focused his attention on Yami's chopsticks, pretending he didn't notice Yami's gaze. "Thank you," he murmured.

"Well, aren't you going to have some of your own sushi?" Yami asked, keeping his expertly straight expression as the boy reluctantly drew his hands from his face and reached for his chopsticks, revealing the rosy cheeks.

Yuugi could feel his heart pounding wildly as he picked up the next piece of sushi. But just as he was about to dip it into the soy sauce, he heard the familiar clinking of chopsticks, looking up to see Yami's surprised face. Terrified, he dropped his sushi into the soy sauce, hearing a little splash as the dark liquid sprinkled the tablecloth.

Yami immediately drew his hand back.

"I'm so sorry," Yuugi apologized helplessly. "I didn't realized you were reaching for…" He silenced himself as he lifted the sushi from the small plate.

Unsure of whether to laugh or cry, Yami watched as the dripping sushi disappeared between the perfect lips.

It was silent for a long time before Yuugi stood up and cleaned off his plate. "I'll be in the shop," he said, feeling the blood rise to his cheeks again as his eyes landed on Yami's handsome questioning face. "Take your time."

"You haven't even finished your sushi. You're not hungry?" Yami's heart dropped as Yuugi shook his head and left the room. He wasn't feeling too hungry himself, but he finished his plate anyway.

- - -

Yuugi was playing chess with himself when Yami came back into the shop, tracing the white knight with his finger, not bothering to look up from the game. Yami returned to his corner of the shop, feeling downhearted.

Glancing sideways, Yuugi could see Yami writing something in his notebook. _He always looks so sad… I wish I could make you happy, Yami…_ He stared at the chessboard, running his finger down the black king, completely lost in his own thoughts. Suddenly, he spun around and found Yami standing behind him, his arms casually folded.

"Do you want to play a game?" the deep voice asked, crimson eyes never leaving the black piece Yuugi was holding.

Yuugi shivered delightfully at the words. "Okay," he whispered, rearranging the chessboard. His head was beginning to feel light again as Yami pulled up his stool to sit next to him. "Black or white?"

"Black," Yami replied, almost immediately.

Swallowing his panic, Yuugi made his first move with trembling fingers. It was amazing, how Yami's mere presence could do this to him, frighten and excite him so much at the same time. _No… don't pass out…_

Yami mirrored his move, a slight smirk gracing his features.

Cold sweat began to form on Yuugi's palm as he reached forward and moved out his knight.

"Do you like chess?" Yami asked, as he moved his pawn forward. "Or is it just something you do when you're bored?"

"I… I like it," Yuugi stuttered, moving his other pawn two squares, nearly falling off his stool as their eyes met. His heart fluttered as he automatically took in Yami's face: smooth bronze skin, high cheekbones, straight nose, full dark lips, and back to the deep crimson eyes topped with elegant eyebrows. The world suddenly stopped spinning as Yami gave him a genuine smile.

The game continued, and soon, it became obvious Yami was in the lead. But something was bothering Yami. _Could Yuugi be losing on purpose?_ For five moves in a row, Yuugi could have captured his piece without putting his own in danger. Cautiously, Yami reached forward and brushed aside a strand of blond hair from the porcelain face.

"Why didn't you capture my rook?" he asked gently.

Yuugi froze, pretending to not have heard, concentrating on his move. But the hand continued to stroke his hair, occasionally brushing lightly against the side of his face. He held his breath, not knowing whether he wanted the hand to leave him alone or to stay. Feeling the remainder of his sanity slip away, he dropped the chess piece he was holding onto the counter, closing his eyes, hoping it was all a very pleasant dream. _Oh, Yami, I'm madly in love…_

Suddenly, he felt Yami's arm circle firmly around his waist, pulling them both behind the counter, several chess pieces toppling off the board and rolling onto the floor. His eyes grew wide and he opened his mouth to gasp, but found it muffled by Yami's hand.

"Shhh…" Yami breathed, pressing their bodies tightly together. "There's someone coming."

Yuugi could now hear unfamiliar heavy footsteps entering the shop. The bells on the door handle jingled loudly. Instinctively, he clung to Yami's school uniform with one hand and wrapped his other arm around Yami's neck, pulling the taller boy into a close embrace. As Yami warmly returned the embrace, Yuugi found his breath again. But his heart was pounding so fast, he could hardly feel it beating at all. Was it because of the intruder? Or was it because of the intimate position he was currently in? Most likely the second choice.

The footsteps came to a stop and the clicking of a gun echoed the quiet room. Yuugi felt Yami stiffen slightly in alarm, but the arm around his waist squeezed him reassuringly. A gruff voice cut through the strained silence.

"Show yourselves."

- - -

****

Note: Ooooooooooh, the corniness. I think I'm gonna die of laughter. That was the crappiest cliffhanger ever. Hahaha. Anyway, more fluff and romance in the next chapter. Whee! Yami is such a little flirt. Poor Yuugi.

Yami: *strokes Yuugi's hair*

Yuugi: *blushes madly*

Yami: *loosely wraps arm around Yuugi's shoulder*

Yuugi: *looks away, still blushing*

Yami: *pokes Yuugi's butt*

Yuugi: *squeak*

Lanlan: WHAT DID YOU DO THIS TIME, YAMI???

Yami: *whistles*

Review and make me happy! And if you don't like something or if something doesn't sound right to you, please tell me! =]


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Yami froze. He desperately hoped it was all a nightmare, but this was very real. He hesitated before reaching down for the gun strapped to his belt. _I'm sorry, Yuugi… I didn't want you to know…_

Yuugi gasped as his eyes landed on the cold weapon, slightly releasing his grip on Yami's shirt, unsure of whether he could trust the boy any longer. He swallowed the lump in his throat, shaking in fear as Yami placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"I know you're in here," the voice continued. "You still owe me money, Mutou."

__

Money? Yami glanced at Yuugi, who was staring hard at the floor, his bottom lip trembling. Swallowing his curiosity, he refocused his attention back onto the intruder. The approaching footsteps suddenly stopped, less than yards away.

__

This isn't real… don't let this be real… Desperate for contact, Yuugi pressed his cheek against Yami's warm chest, closing his eyes and hoping everything would go away. _Please let Grandpa be okay. Where are you, Grandpa? I don't want you to die… I don't want Yami to die…_ A wave of guilt washed over him, as if everything was his fault: his grandfather's debt, loss, pain…

The footsteps began to fade, and Yuugi heard the door open and close. It was safe now.

He sighed in relief and was just about to ask Yami if everything was okay, when he felt a strong hand clamping tightly over his mouth. "Shhh…" Yami blew into his ear, gently rubbing his shoulder. But Yuugi could feel Yami growing tense, even more so than before. The hand on the gun tightened.

The footsteps approached again, with new confidence. Yuugi weakened, falling further into Yami's comforting grip. His heart raced and his vision blurred. _Not now… _A warm hand grasped his cold and clammy one, and he looked up in gratitude. But Yami didn't turn back. Instead, he was facing the counter, his gun ready in his hand.

Yuugi's heart stopped as he heard another click, but this time, it was Yami.

"Don't move," Yami ordered, his gun held ready by an unwavering hand. The intruder was a middle-aged man, dressed in a business suit, For a long moment, it was so silent, he could hear the man's heavy breathing. A pair of small arms found their way around his waist, and he felt Yuugi pressing his face against his stomach. _Yuugi… I promised…_

The warmth of the body beneath him disappeared. He swallowed nervously, hoping Yuugi was all right, refusing the break eye-contact with the man. Suddenly, the man let out a cry of pain as a metal object flew directly at his groin. Taking his chance, Yami fired, but his gun wasn't the only one that sounded. The man doubled over, clutching his chest. Glancing backward, Yami found a dent in the wall, several inches from his head.

Hesitantly, Yuugi rose above the counter.

"No! Yuugi, watch out!" Yami cried, slamming Yuugi against the floor with his own body as another shot was heard. A sharp pain traveled down his arm as he instinctively fired three shots in a row at the man from the floor. The man dropped his gun and collapsed, gasping as blood poured from the holes in his chest.

Yami stood, his wounded arm fastened securely around Yuugi's waist, pressing the smaller boy against his chest. Trembling uncontrollably, Yuugi buried his face into Yami's neck, refusing to look at the man. "Don't kill him," he murmured, over and over again, but to Yami, it was only a slur of incomprehensible noise.

"_Nobody_ messes with my aibou, and gets away with it," Yami growled. He aimed for the man's head, watching as the crimson blossomed from the wound. The body fell at his feet before going completely limp.

"Is he dead?" Yuugi whispered, tightening his arms around Yami. He closed his eyes as Yami sighed in response. "Oh, Yami… you shouldn't have…"

"I'm sorry, Yuugi, but I had to," Yami replied. "He could have killed you. People like him are better off dead, anyway."

Yami could feel Yuugi's tears against his neck as he placed his gun down on the counter and pulled the smaller boy into a warm embrace. His arm was searing, but Yuugi's tears hurt him even more as he ran his long fingers through the red strands, savoring the feeling of their heated bodies pressed together. Never had he felt so right… so complete.

Reluctantly, he released the boy, losing himself in the deep amethyst eyes.

A soft sigh escaped Yuugi's lips as he automatically leaned upward. He could feel Yami's breath caressing his face, washing over him like a sweet summer breeze. For a moment, he forgot everything that had happened…

"Do you have any unused bedsheets?" Yami interrupted uneasily. He watched as Yuugi gave a small nod and headed for the laundry room without giving him a second glance.

For a moment, Yami gazed after the boy. Then, he turned his attention to the body lying on the cold tiles, taking in the familiar image of death: nothing glorious, just cold and silence. As much as he wished he could have shown the slightest amount of compassion, he felt no regret in his heart. A jolt of pain in his upper arm brought him back to his senses. He swiftly shifted to one side as Yuugi returned, carrying a folded white sheet in his arms.

Without a word, they tightly wrapped the rigid body in the cloth. Yuugi could feel his head growing lighter as he studied the man's bloodied face. The pale eyelids were closed in agony, the lips parted in a helpless moan. Resisting the urge to scream his lungs out, he pulled the sheet over the lifeless face with shaky fingers.

They stared at the wrapped figure for what seemed like the longest time. Suddenly, Yuugi released a shuddering breath before looking down at his hands and feet.

Half his shirt was stained with dark blood.

"Oh, my god," he breathed, spinning to face Yami, his eyes pleading and full of fear. "Yami, what happened to the second bullet? _What happened to it?_"

Yami opened his mouth to answer, but his words were lost as he looked helplessly into Yuugi's concerned eyes. Suddenly, the smaller boy grabbed his left arm, spinning him around abruptly.

"Why?" Yuugi whispered, running his fingers alongside the bleeding wound. Through the fabric of Yami's school uniform, the glow of the bullet could still be seen inside. He froze for a moment before clutching Yami's arm to his chest, sobbing freely onto the shoulder. "Why didn't you say something, Yami? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Can you do me a favor?" Yami asked quietly, deciding not to answer Yuugi's question. Hearing no response, he managed to pry the boy off him. "Go upstairs and change your shirt. Then, call the police and tell him you shot this man in self-defense. Tell him what you want, but whatever you say, _don't mention me_." He paused and searched the large tearful eyes. "Please," he added, reaching into his belt and handing Yuugi his gun.

Before Yuugi could answer, Yami had disappeared somewhere into the house. He gave the wrapped body one last glance before heading upstairs.

- - -

"Where were you when he appeared at the door?"

"May I see your weapon again?"

"Do you know what the man wanted?"

Yuugi looked around helplessly as the police gathered around him in front of the shop, waiting for his answers. From the corner of his eye, he could see the paramedics carrying the dead body into the ambulance. Suddenly, a familiar old sedan pulled around the block. Completely ignoring the questions, Yuugi shoved through the crowd of police, running toward the car as fast as his legs would take him.

"Grandpa!" he yelled, throwing himself onto the old man as he stepped out.

"Are you all right?" Grandpa asked, patting his grandson gently on the back. "Shhh… It's okay. You can tell me what happened later. Are you hurt? Do you feel nauseous?"

Yuugi shook his head furiously. "That man came into the shop," he whispered. "The one you were going to see. He said you still owe him money. You promised… you promised you wouldn't try to help me anymore, that you wouldn't pay more than we could afford…"

"But I love you so much," Grandpa replied, gathering the boy in his arms. The police were beginning to move toward them. "Come on. Answer some questions so you can rest earlier."

Holding back his distress, Yuugi obeyed, telling the story the way he was told to do.

After what seemed like forever, the questions finally ended. "May we have your permission the search the house?" an officer asked. "We promise not to do any unnecessary damage to your property."

__

Yami… Yuugi's heart skipped a beat as his grandfather agreed. _Where are you, Yami?_

- - -

Yuugi took another sip of his warm soup before looking up. "Grandpa, I have to tell you something," he confessed.

"Drink your soup," his grandfather replied simply. "We'll talk about it tomorrow."

"I…" Yuugi paused and took a deep breath. "I wasn't alone. And I didn't kill the man."

Grandpa sighed. "I know, I know," he said. He suddenly looked very tired. "I told Yami to stay with you, but I don't know whether to be frightened or relieved about him. Did he leave before the police came?"

"No," Yuugi answered truthfully as he swallowed another spoonful. "He went into the house. I… I don't why the police didn't find him while they were searching. I guess he escaped. But his arm…" His bottom lip trembled as he continued. "Yami was shot in the arm."

"I'm sure he'll be all right," Grandpa said gently. "He can take care of himself."

Yuugi nodded in understanding, but a large part of him was still worried about Yami's safety. Where was he now? Was he safe at home with his cat? Did he walk himself to the hospital? Most likely not. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Yuugi secretly prayed for Yami, but he had no idea what to ask for.

- - -

He quickly stepped out of the shower and changed into his pajamas. For a while, he sat motionless on his bed, allowing what happened that night to sink in. The man was dead. His grandfather was safe and out of debt. He sighed and pulled the covers around himself.

A warm tear slid down his cheek and he wiped it away with his sleeve.

Someone was tapping gently on the glass pane of his skylight. He looked up abruptly and found Yami's silhouette against the night sky. Without hesitating, he untangled himself from the bedsheets and unlatched the window, allowing the cool air to pour in.

His eyes immediately flew the the wounded arm, but the same bloody sleeve covered it. Slowly, as if not to startle him, Yami reached into the room and took Yuugi's hand in his own, caressing it tenderly. Yuugi could feel his tears flowing freely down his face as Yami gave him a kind smile.

"Come in," he whispered, giving Yami's hand a light tug.

Yami shook his head. "I'm leaving. I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night."

"Wait," Yuugi said, tightening his grip. "Is your arm okay? Does it hurt a lot?"

"I'm fine," Yami replied. "But I hope you don't mind if I used up most of the bandages in the bathroom."

Yuugi felt his lips curve into a smile as Yami wiped his tears away with his other hand. Suddenly, something warm and smooth fell into his palm. "What is it?" he asked, not wishing to take his eyes from Yami's.

"You'll see," Yami whispered. "Keep it… as a souvenir."

Yuugi looked down at the heavy object in his hand to find a shiny bullet. When he lifted his eyes again, Yami had already left. He pressed his lips to the bullet for a moment before dropping it into the pocket of the leather jacket under his pillow.

- - -

****

Note: This whole chapter took just as much time as it took to write my other chapters. Wow, I be the laziest person in the world to not have finished it earlier. Hahaha. Please excuse the terrible unoriginal language and whatever technical mistakes you encountered. I don't feel like rereading it and making myself feel bad. Anyway, long chapter for you guys. And lots on Yami's past and personality. I guess Yami has a romantic side, don't you, Yami?

Yami: O_o

Yuugi: Yeeeeesh, he gave me flowers yesterday.

Yami: …

Yuugi: And the day before that… And the day before that… And the day before that, he gave me ten boxes of chocolate.

Yami: *mutters*

Yuugi: *gives Yami a big kiss*

Yami: ^_^

Thank you, _Laurathecat_, for giving me the idea for who the man should be (person Gramps owes money to). Again, this leads back to Yuugi's little issue. Yay! Please review, compliments or criticisms. Thank you! **Also, check out my profile for my 'Undress Yami' game. **=]


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

__

He was running fast down the crowded streets, trying to catch something, find something, the missing piece to his puzzle, except he had no idea what the missing piece was. He could feel himself growing tired, and as he paused to take a breath, he noticed all the smiling faces around him. Slowly, he took off again, taking long and slow steps as he observed the love and joy that surrounded him.

As he turned the corner, the noise suddenly faded, and he found himself trapped in darkness. Desperately, he felt around for a solid object, and fell forward into a pair of familiar strong arms.

"Yami…" he whispered, reaching up to trace his savior's outline.

The arms tightened around him, and he suddenly realized the figure was shaking uncontrollably. He could feel his heart splitting into a million pieces as a small sob reached his ear. Almost hesitantly, he patted the darkness gently on the back, whispering useless words of comfort…

Yuugi woke up to find himself crying into something warm and soft. Looking down, he realized he had been clutching the inside of Yami's jacket. He closed his eyes and sighed, wiping his tears away with the back of his hand. But Yami had been the one crying in the dream, and it hurt to hear his sob, to feel the helpless tremble of Yami's weight.

Still holding the leather jacket tightly against his chest, Yuugi sat up on the bed and looked outside the window. It was early morning, and the sky was a dim shade of blue. Quickly, he brushed his teeth and threw his clothes on. He would give himself plenty of time before school. Was he really looking forward to seeing Yami again? It was almost awkward…

He silently tip-toed down the stairs, careful not to wake his grandfather, who's sound snores could be heard through the thin walls. As he walked through the quiet shop, he allowed his eyes to linger on the dent made by the first bullet before slipping on his jacket and pushing the glass door open.

The streets were still except for a few cars that would occasionally pass by. He made his way to the florist shop at the street corner several blocks from his house. The old lady who ran the shop was inside as usual, watering her plants with love and care. She looked up in response as Yuugi tapped lightly against the glass door and motioned for him to come in.

"How may I help you, my dear?" she asked gently.

Yuugi looked around the store timidly, eyeing the hundreds of flowers to choose from. "Well, I'm thinking of buying something red," he replied as the image of Yami's striking eyes flashed across his mind.

The old lady gave a wrinkled smile. "Oh, is this for a special someone?" she said, her eyes shining with youth.

"No!" Yuugi said, a little louder than intended. He could feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment. "It's—It's for a friend, nothing more. As a thank you present."

Shrugging casually, the old lady pointed to the vivid blur of flowers behind her. "Of course," she said knowingly. "You'll find the roses over there."

Muttering a quick word of thanks, Yuugi made his way over to the roses. There were at least ten shades of red, but one stood out above the others: a silky shade of crimson that was more mysterious than romantic. Almost automatically, he reached out and brushed his fingers against one of the velvety petals.

"You've chosen?" the old lady interrupted from behind.

Yuugi nodded wordlessly as he drew his hand away. He suddenly remembered he would have to somehow make sure Yami received the flowers. A moment ago, the idea had seemed so simple. Now, he was beginning to change his mind. But it was too late; he couldn't just tell the nice old lady he didn't want to buy the flowers anymore.

Carefully, the old lady began to pick out the largest roses, scraping the thorns off with a razor. "How many do you want, my dear?"

__

How many should I give him? Five? Ten? Buying flowers was more complicated than he had anticipated. "Ten will be enough," he said, digging his wallet out of his pocket as he watched the old lady fasten the flowers. In a bunch, the flowers didn't look like a proper thank you present anymore. Instead, it looked like something else, something that made Yuugi blush every time he thought of it.

He took the flowers into his arms and paid for them, politely thanking the old lady on his way out.

- - -

"So, Yuugi, who are the flowers for?" Jounouchi asked, lifting his eyebrows suggestively. "Who's the lucky girl?"

Yuugi smiled and clutched the bouquet closer to his chest, blushing madly.

Honda playfully punched him in the arm. "Come on, you can tell us."

Just as he was about to answer, several girls came by the lockers, talking in hushed voices and flattening their skirts. They paused as their eyes landed on the flowers and one of them gasped out loud.

"Oh, my god! Flowers!" she squealed, immediately rushing to Yuugi's side. "Are they for us?"

Yuugi shifted uncomfortably. "Actually—" he began.

"No, fuck off," Jounouchi interrupted. "They're for someone _special_."

"Who are _you_?" the girl asked, obviously not wishing for an answer as she carelessly shoved him aside. "Anyway, can I please have a flower, Yuugi? You know you love me." She batted her eyelashes flirtatiously.

Hesitantly, Yuugi reached into the bouquet and handed the girl a rose without looking up. His chest suddenly felt heavier and he resisted the urge to sob out loud. _The roses are for someone special… for Yami._

"Oh, can I have one, too?" another girl said, smiling brightly. "They're so pretty!"

Once again, Yuugi drew a flower out of the bunch, his reluctance growing stronger. But his hand seemed to have a mind of its own as he handed a rose to each girl, one by one, until a single rose remained clutched tightly in his hand. Thankfully, the school-bell rang, giving the five minute warning before class would start.

He waved for Jounouchi and Honda to go to class without him as he pulled out a slip of paper and a pen from his bookbag. In the neatest handwriting he could manage, he quickly wrote something on the slip and taped it around the stem of his last rose.

Yami was still out of his seat by the time Yuugi arrived in the classroom, and he managed to secretly slide the rose into Yami's desk before the teacher walked in. He cast a sidelong glance at Yami as he watched the boy make his way to his seat. As he looked up at the teacher, he suddenly realized he had been holding his breath for the past minute.

"Good morning," the teacher greeted with an expressionless face.

Like everyone else in the class, Yami stood and returned the greeting. As he sat back down, he reached into his desk for a pen to copy down the assignment written on the board…

…but instead, he felt something else.

Cautiously, he leaned back in his seat and glanced into his desk. It was a flower, a half-bloomed rose, sitting elegantly on top of his textbooks. Feeling curious and a little anxious, he gently took it out of his desk and placed it on his lap. He looked around to make sure the teacher wasn't watching him before lifting the rose to his lips and inhaling the silky scent.

A piece of paper attached to the stem caught his eye. Feeling his heartbeat grow faster, he unrolled the slip. In a neat print of red ink, it read:

__

Love, Yuugi

His heart skipped several beats as he read the two words over and over again. He fingered the soft petals lovingly and closed his eyes, a faint trace of a smile lingering on his lips. Looking over to Yuugi, he found the boy concentrating unnaturally hard on writing down the assignment on the board. He sighed warmly, laughing inwardly at himself for being such a schoolgirl.

When he looked up again, he found the teacher glaring venomously at him. Giving her a sheepish grin, he placed the rose back into his desk and began to write down the assignment.

He would have to wait until after school to catch Yuugi.

- - -

Fortunately for Yami, Bakura had detention that afternoon and the rest of his crowd was easy to avoid. So he ended up hanging around Yuugi's locker, waiting for him to show. After a while, Yuugi was still nowhere to be seen, and Yami would be late for work if he didn't leave now.

He headed for the school exit, hoping Yuugi had already left for the shop. But on his way out, he noticed a few chattering girls had the exact same flower as he did. His heart suddenly felt strangely heavy. As he passed, he could hear them speaking in high-pitched voices.

"Yuugi gave me a prettier flower…"

"…no, I think mine looks nicer than yours…"

Feeling his legs weaken, Yami managed to carry himself away from school grounds and across the street, holding the rose against his chest. Dropping his bookbag on the ground, he propped himself against a building, slowly rotating the rose between his fingers.

- - -

****

Note: Blah. This fanfic sounds so unoriginal, so dead. This is the main chapter (you may have noticed the chapter title came from it), and I am well aware that it sucks big ass, but I don't really give anymore. I'm dying to start a million other fics and I can't do so until I finish this one because it just bothers me like that. I need to feel like I've accomplished something before moving onto the next. Anyway, here's what's coming up:

__

The Crossroad :: Prologue posted. Yes, once I outline the entire friggin' story, I will get to work on chapter one. 'Twill be a sad ending.

__

First Kiss :: A collection of one-shots of different ways Yami and Yuugi could have shared their first special moment. Fluff.

__

Measuring Love :: Series of short stories following Yami and Yuugi's childhood together all the way up until Yami goes to college. More fluff.

Yuugi - plays with chibi-Yami Did you hear that Yami? More fluff for us! pokes tummy

Chibi-Yami - giggles and kicks legs around in the air Wheeeeeee!

Yami - Now _that_… is scary. stabs chibi version of himself and watches blood spill all over the floor Much better.

Yuugi - passes out

Anyway, thank you so much to all my reviewers. If it weren't for you guys, I probably would've quit a long time ago. And please tell me if this fic absolutely sucks or if there's something bad about it. I appreciate any constructive criticism. Thank you! =]


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